Ancient Enemy
by Katie Reus
Series: Ancients Rising, #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: August 25, 2020
She should be his mortal enemy.
Ancient dragon shifter Rhys awoke from his slumber hungry for revenge against the witch who killed his sister. When his hunt takes him to the rebuilding city of New Orleans, he finds a woman he can’t keep his eyes off—but she’s a witch. While Rhys wants to despise all of Dallas’s kind, even he can’t deny that she's beautiful, kind and…adorable. And her pet baby dragon only increases his fascination with the sexy woman. Protective instincts he never knew he had take over him as they hunt powerful monsters. He’s forced to confront everything he thought he knew about witches as his life is turned upside down.
But he wants her anyway.
Dallas Kinley is used to being hated because of what she is. Witches have always been the pariahs of the supernatural community. Until now, when the world needs rebuilding. Even though she wants to keep her distance from Rhys, vampires and humans are dying in New Orleans, so she vows to help him hunt down those responsible. But finding the enemy comes at a heavy price, because Dallas is hiding a terrible secret. As they race against the clock to find the murderers, she can only hope his need for revenge won’t rip them apart. Especially when he finds out what she’s been hiding from him.
Dallas jerked in Rhys’s arms, her eyes flying open. She’d only been asleep for three hours and he knew she needed more. It was clear in the wild, almost unfocused glaze of her beautiful gray eyes.
“Is Willow okay?” she rasped out.
His heart clenched. She was always thinking of other people, other beings. He’d never imagined a female like her in his life. “She’s fine. Currently being spoiled. It’s only been a few hours, Dallas.” The blackout curtains were firmly in place but bits of the late morning light still peeked through.
Dallas sighed and seemed to settle more against the sheets. “Good.” She nuzzled her face against his chest, wrapping her arm around him and throwing one leg over him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Just like that, his cock hardened. He’d already been in a semi-state of arousal on and off for the last few hours. Every time she shoved her ass up against him, or turned over and wrapped her body around his, he got hard. Then he’d have to think of shitty things so his erection would go down. It was a vicious cycle.
Now with her curled up against him, her full breasts pressing against his chest, it was definitely too much for his waning self-control.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting to steady the wild beat of his heart, and tried to think of anything but Dallas’s lush body pressed up against his.
“I wouldn’t mind that kiss right now,” she sleepily mumbled against his chest.
Oh, hell. He rolled his hips against her, leaving no doubt how aroused he was.
She leaned her head back to look up at him. She was half awake, but he saw the fire simmering in her bright eyes that had gone almost silver and he could clearly scent her desire. It was sweet and overpowering, leaving him no doubt that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her.
Without second-guessing himself, he crushed his mouth to hers, tasting, teasing, taking. Goddess, he wanted to consume her, to bring her so much pleasure that she passed out from it. His female needed rest—and an orgasm.
Moving quickly, he caged her body underneath his, glad they had an actual bed in here now as opposed to that flimsy cot.
Moaning, she stretched out underneath him, arching her unfortunately covered breasts against his chest. But he felt the beaded points of her nipples rubbing against him as he plundered her mouth. Her taste was perfection. She was perfection.
He slid his hands up the tiny shirt he’d picked out for her earlier, cupping her breasts, shuddering at the feel of them in his hands, at the fact that she wanted him to touch her at all.
She groaned into his mouth and the scent of her desire spiked in the air as he slowly teased her nipples.
He needed to see her naked, or at least more of her. And he needed skin-to-skin contact, was desperate to feel her against him. When he leaned up to tug her top off, he realized he was slightly glowing.
The mating manifestation. Dallas was…his mate.
“Is Willow okay?” she rasped out.
His heart clenched. She was always thinking of other people, other beings. He’d never imagined a female like her in his life. “She’s fine. Currently being spoiled. It’s only been a few hours, Dallas.” The blackout curtains were firmly in place but bits of the late morning light still peeked through.
Dallas sighed and seemed to settle more against the sheets. “Good.” She nuzzled her face against his chest, wrapping her arm around him and throwing one leg over him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Just like that, his cock hardened. He’d already been in a semi-state of arousal on and off for the last few hours. Every time she shoved her ass up against him, or turned over and wrapped her body around his, he got hard. Then he’d have to think of shitty things so his erection would go down. It was a vicious cycle.
Now with her curled up against him, her full breasts pressing against his chest, it was definitely too much for his waning self-control.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting to steady the wild beat of his heart, and tried to think of anything but Dallas’s lush body pressed up against his.
“I wouldn’t mind that kiss right now,” she sleepily mumbled against his chest.
Oh, hell. He rolled his hips against her, leaving no doubt how aroused he was.
She leaned her head back to look up at him. She was half awake, but he saw the fire simmering in her bright eyes that had gone almost silver and he could clearly scent her desire. It was sweet and overpowering, leaving him no doubt that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her.
Without second-guessing himself, he crushed his mouth to hers, tasting, teasing, taking. Goddess, he wanted to consume her, to bring her so much pleasure that she passed out from it. His female needed rest—and an orgasm.
Moving quickly, he caged her body underneath his, glad they had an actual bed in here now as opposed to that flimsy cot.
Moaning, she stretched out underneath him, arching her unfortunately covered breasts against his chest. But he felt the beaded points of her nipples rubbing against him as he plundered her mouth. Her taste was perfection. She was perfection.
He slid his hands up the tiny shirt he’d picked out for her earlier, cupping her breasts, shuddering at the feel of them in his hands, at the fact that she wanted him to touch her at all.
She groaned into his mouth and the scent of her desire spiked in the air as he slowly teased her nipples.
He needed to see her naked, or at least more of her. And he needed skin-to-skin contact, was desperate to feel her against him. When he leaned up to tug her top off, he realized he was slightly glowing.
The mating manifestation. Dallas was…his mate.
A grumpy dragon shifter out for revenge, a witch with a past that is dangerous but gives her tremendous power…and a baby dragon – what’s not to love! Ancient Enemy is everything that I look for in a book and checked off all the boxes for me in a paranormal romance.
Dallas was the kind of heroine I really enjoy – she’s just a nice person but because she is so nice everyone underestimates her and her strength. Her past experiences have her looking to lead a quiet life, tending to her land and helping those around her, and although she is a very powerful witch, she has never tested the limits of her strength. She subscribes to the “do no harm” mantra, but I loved how she had no issues using her powers against evil and to protect those around her. Rhys was just your regular grumpy old – ok very old – dragon shifter who is out for revenge. His whole life has centered on finding the witch who killed his sister and he’s never been able to consider a life beyond that. When he meets Dallas he’s faced with the realization that he may have been wrong to assume all witches were evil. I loved that he was quick to always call himself on his bad behavior, quick to admit to Dallas when he may have been short with her or rude. And watching him find purpose as he realizes that he has a future with Dallas was wonderful.
The real star of this book was Willow, the dragonling. She was just the cutest little dragon and I loved how she attached she was to Dallas and how she quickly accepts Rhys as her own. I loved the first night at the mansion where Rhys shifts and lets Willow curl up with him to sleep – so darn cute! I hope we get to see more of her in future books!
Dallas was the kind of heroine I really enjoy – she’s just a nice person but because she is so nice everyone underestimates her and her strength. Her past experiences have her looking to lead a quiet life, tending to her land and helping those around her, and although she is a very powerful witch, she has never tested the limits of her strength. She subscribes to the “do no harm” mantra, but I loved how she had no issues using her powers against evil and to protect those around her. Rhys was just your regular grumpy old – ok very old – dragon shifter who is out for revenge. His whole life has centered on finding the witch who killed his sister and he’s never been able to consider a life beyond that. When he meets Dallas he’s faced with the realization that he may have been wrong to assume all witches were evil. I loved that he was quick to always call himself on his bad behavior, quick to admit to Dallas when he may have been short with her or rude. And watching him find purpose as he realizes that he has a future with Dallas was wonderful.
The real star of this book was Willow, the dragonling. She was just the cutest little dragon and I loved how she attached she was to Dallas and how she quickly accepts Rhys as her own. I loved the first night at the mansion where Rhys shifts and lets Willow curl up with him to sleep – so darn cute! I hope we get to see more of her in future books!
She sniffed slightly. “Willow is my pet.”
They all stopped and stared at her, looking between each other in confusion before looking back at her.
“You can’t have a pet dragon,” the dragon shifter finally snarled. “They’re dangerous.”
She snorted. “Dragon shifters are dangerous, in case you haven’t been around the last couple of months. And it’s a good thing I didn’t ask for your opinion – jackass.”
I am really enjoying the characters and sub-plots that are part of this series. I loved getting to see the relationship between Aurora and King deepen and can’t wait to see where it goes. Getting to spend some time with the gang at the mansion was great and I loved the epilogue and getting to catch up with Rhys’s family. I’m looking forward to learning more about the relationship between Mikael and Avery, which is the next book in the series.
I have quickly become addicted to the is series and can’t wait for the next installment!
I received an advance reader copy from the author which I voluntarily reviewed.
I have quickly become addicted to the is series and can’t wait for the next installment!
I received an advance reader copy from the author which I voluntarily reviewed.
However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.
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