The Rookie | A New Release from Abigail Owen

Hey Paranormal Romantics!!! I am so excited to share a new book with you. The Rookie is book #2 in my Fire's Edge series featuring dragon shifter enforcers. Check out the excerpt and info below. This book does standalone with its own HEA. But feel free to check out the FREE prequel, The Mate, and book #1, The Boss, as well. :)

THE ROOKIE

FIRE'S EDGE #2

Playing with dragons with only get you burned.

    
To escape exile, Aidan Paytah has had to prove himself worthy. Every second of every damn day. He fought with everything he had to earn his precarious place on the Huracán team of dragon shifter enforcers. He can’t fail or afford distractions, no matter how temptingly sweet. Total loyalty to the clans and dedication to his team is the only way.

Sera Morrison lost her parents and her husband in short order, leaving her a single mother running her family winery alone. Nothing could ever have prepared her for the discovery that she’s a destined dragon mate. But once she finds out, there’s only one man she wants—the one who walks away.

However, the Alliance Council has its own agenda. They want to use her as a political pawn and force a mating that could ultimately kill her to save the High King. Aidan has no choice but to kidnap her, even if it means their close proximity reinforces their own mating bond. And mating with him could end up being a far worse fate for Sera...

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EXCERPT

“A thing?” he said, voice low, growly, like he was as strangely affected as she was.

“On the back of my neck.” Delaney had one now, although she didn’t until she and Finn mated. “A…um…a mark.”

Aidan let her go, his arms dropping loosely to his sides. “A brand.”

Why did he sound so…hard? “Yeah. One of those.”

“You should have one.” His expression had shuttered, closing her off, like he had since they’d met. Only worse. Like he was pissed.

“So do I?” Irritation edged her voice. Man, her emotions were on the rollercoaster from hell. Sera took a breath and turned her back to him, lifting the fall of her short hair.

“We should wait for Finn.”

She half turned to glare over her shoulder. “Is it there or isn’t it?”

“I have to blow fire across your neck to make it show.”

Oh. “Does it hurt?”

“No. I control it.”

“Well, then?” She turned back and waited.

“Finn should be here,” he repeated, that stubborn set to his jaw making him all angles and hardness.

Sera lifted her gaze to the exposed beams across her ceiling, searching for patience in what was easily one of the craziest moments of her life. “Stop being a baby and do it.”

Still, he waited.

“Please,” she begged softly. “I need to know.”

After another pause, total silence, Aidan’s hands fell on her shoulders. Were his hands shaking? “Drop your head forward,” he said before she could comment.

Closing her eyes, she did as he asked.

Aidan took a long, deep breath, and the sound of billowing flame contained inside his body came from behind her, like a low rumbly rush. Warmth poured over the nape of her neck, spreading everywhere, flowing over and through and into her body in the most delicious way before pooling at her core.

“Oh,” she whispered on a sucked in breath.

Her body vibrated with a sudden urgent need, and she had to clench her hands to keep from touching herself or reaching for the man behind her who’d already lit up her body once this morning, even if only in a dream.

“Is…” She cleared her throat when the word didn’t come out right. “Is there anything?”

The heat cutoff, and she slowly turned to find Aidan staring at her with an unreadable expression. Which scared her more than anything.

“Aidan?” she prodded. “Is there a brand?”

He opened his mouth to answer when a loud knocking at her door made them both jump.

“Sera? Are you okay?” Delaney’s voice sounded through the heavy wood. They must’ve risked flying here to arrive that fast.

Before she could stop him, Aidan moved away. He opened the door, stood aside for the group standing there to come inside, then walked out the door.

And kept right on going.

Mothertrucker. He’d walked out on her? Shock and anger swirled with that utter haunting loneliness.

He left me.