Border Lair

Dragon Knights #2

by Bianca D'Arc

Hope returns to all dragonkind as enemies become allies…and lovers.

Dragon Knights, Book 2

As a young widow, Adora raised her daughter by herself, never dreaming that love could cross her path again. But now that her girl is married to a pair of dragon knights, Adora’s eyes are opened to all the possibilities the Border Lair has to offer…including two handsome men who catch her eye.

Lord Darian Vordekrais is about to turn traitor, giving up his title, his lands, and his home in order to warn the dragons and knights of his treacherous king’s evil plan. But after he meets the beautiful widow, his sacrifice seems worth the cost. Meanwhile, Darian’s old friend Sir Jared, who lost his first wife and child to treachery, is shaken by his own intense attraction to Adora. But Jared’s broken heart is frozen in solid ice. Or is it?

As war looms on the horizon, the knights and dragons of the Border Lair rise to the occasion. New allies rally to their side, and romance blossoms and grows even as evil invades the land. The knights and dragons must stand fast against the onslaught, the beautiful woman of royal blood bringing them hope, healing and love.

This book is a re-issue – all the books in the series will be re-issued.

Product Warnings
This book contains a couple of meddling, matchmaking dragons who won’t stop until two sexy knights realize the lady of their dreams can love them both separately and together. Ménage a trois and a bit of exhibitionism compete with the dragons for smoking hotness.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Romance, Paranormal, Menage, Paranormal Romance, Erotica

175 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2006

About the author

Bianca D'Arc is the USA Today bestselling author of over 100 romance titles. She has been published traditionally, by a few notable small presses, and indie. Before becoming a full-time writer, she ran a laboratory, a legal department, and jetted around the country on business while working for a Fortune 500 engineering firm.

Reviews

[Debrac2014 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story more than the first book of the series! Good story line and less sex!

[ML Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one: (previous book) Short little romance including dragons and triads of humans.
Book two: short little romance including dragons and triads of humans. The females find out they are princesses.

[carol hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed

The first three chapters we filled with constant repetitions ad nauseam. One paragraph stated Adora healed humans only, the very next chapter has her healing Dragons only. This author can't seem to keep her story straight. I refuse to spend money on inept writing.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book launches more into the overall role of the Lair and the tension with Skithdron.

Book one set the groundwork for how the dragon knight pairings worked and the instalove/recognition of mates. We met both Adora and Jared in book one. This one is their story and how they find their third Darian.

Plus this has more plot in the story because we get a brief glimpse into Skithdron and its king, Lucan. And the pending war breaks out.

King Lucan has changed himself into a partial skith using black magic and is controlling the skiths. Darian discovers this truth and abandons his country and holdings as lord to warn the kingdom and dragons he was once an ambassador in.

Prince Nico makes a visit to the Border Lair and confirms that Adora is in fact the lost Princess Amelia Jane from House Kent. This revelation changes nothing for either Adora or Belora in terms of their status or location. They remain in the border lair doing what they are currently doing.

This story had the instalust like book one but more delayed since Jared was still grieving his lost wife Ana and son James who died and had sworn to never love again. Adora was also grieving her lost husband and stolen twin daughters, Arikia and Alania.

This should definitely be read after book one but there was so much repetition that you could probably start the series here too.

Multiple povs told in third person.

Characters-
Belora - human healer (pregnant in this book with twin boys)
Her mates - Gareth and Lars
Their dragons - Kelvan and Rohtina

Adora - human healer, lost princess Amelia Jane from house Kent
Her mates - Jared Armand and Darian Vordekais
Their dragons - Kelzy and Sandor

Prince Nicolas - black dragon, prince of spies, aka Nico

King Lucan - king of Skithdron, changed into a skith via dark magic
Venerai - King Lucan’s ‘pet’ who was also turned, leader of army

Dareth the Wise - last wizard and first black dragon

Steam - 🔥🔥🔥

Triggers - battle, death and mentions of kidnapping

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

The fact that Jared had the absolute gall to feel betrayed by Dar when from the START he was all she deserves better then when she gets better he’s all she’s mine bitch! Is a ‘wow my life is hard, screw everyone else and there feelings’ Victor Frankenstein level dick move.
Also no plot, plot armour death defiance and no explanations as to why these people are in an destined relationship.

Also why is it always about breathtakingly gorgeous people? Where are the average looking peeps with the occasional pimples or stretch marks? Because in romance they don’t exist! Stretch marks ain’t sexy and neither is being average, unless its a nerd who gets a glam up and ends up sexy in the end.

[Jo Brinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, this one is not as bad as the last book. The plot is better but still predictable. The sadness of Jared's family's death was the only thing that really grabbed me. I never thought I'd say it but there is way too much sex. I don't need a threesome every 10 pages... sheesh! The 1st and 2nd book either could've been fleshed out with some world building or better yet combined into one book. This is way beneath the level of the black dagger brotherhood and even further beneath Kenyons the league. I am still going to read the 3rd book to see if the writing improves, if not ill be trashing this series as a wate of my time

[BeckyisBookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

“...both knights spurting their come deep into the woman they both loved, adored and cherished with all their hearts”

Awe wholesome.

Book 2: Boo it’s getting repetitive already...

This book wants to be a normal fantasy novel and also wants to be smutty erotica and those two wants are waging war. The non dragon knight sex bits are getting too involved and the dragon knight sex bits are getting boring.

Come on Bianca, I’m counting on you and the sex dragons to make this fresh again in book 3.

Rating: 3 dragon knights in your bum hole out of 5 “sweet mother of all”s

[Adena Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is the cost of doing the right thing? A lot, when you owe allegiance to a tyrant waging war on a peaceful neighbour. Such was the case for Darian Vordekrais, who gave up everything except his integrity. He gained quite the unexpected rewards though, so I suspect that he did not regret his choice for long. I quite enjoyed observing Darian as well as Adora and Jared. I'm hoping that their story will be expanded on later.

[TinaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More matchmaking via dragons, instant love with Darian and Jared finally letting his pain of loss not stop him from loving Adora. We find out more about Adora and the royal line as well as hints of future characters

[Wordsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book maintained my impressions from book 1: interesting world-building, likeably sketched characters, a good dose of kinky sex, and not enough polish to the writing to develop the emotions, so the relationships feel a bit rote, and therefore a bit remote.

[Klizbet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t super interested in this book, namely because it features the mother of the heroine in the previous books. No one wants to think of ‘mom’ getting plowed…at least I don’t lol. But I read it because I wanted to follow the story and the next book sounds interesting.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fue una historia linda, romántica, sincera, y fácil de leer... Ame esta historia, Kelzy es toda una loquilla ...

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️📚 👍.

[Annetta Sweetko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a re-read done when I was "cleaning my bookcases" and still loved Adora and her men.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

The world building is intense. Lots of details and a lot of emotions. This story adds to the series world and creates a bigger picture with each sentence read.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Kimberley Rowland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the storyline in this series of books, but the sex still isn't to my liking. Bianca D'Arc likes to set up the next books so I'm going to keep on with the series. I really do like the story.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

After The Dragon Healer, I wanted to read at least one more book in this series, because I kept getting teased by the prospect of a romance between Adora and General Jaden, but not actually having it come to pass.

It's always nice when you get your bookish wishes fulfilled.

In the case of this series, it was also good to get a helping of plot along with the hot ménage sex. This time out, we finally start to see some of the history and especially the politics of the kingdom of Draconia, and why they are at war with the Skithdron.

Since this series is fantasy, it helps to know why things are the way they are, at least for this reader!

Adora, and her daughter Belora, can hear dragons. They've been told before that this is a very rare and treasured talent, but when Prince Nico of the Royal House turns up in the Border Lair, they find out the full picture.

Adora is a lost princess. Nico calls one of the other dragons who is able to identify exactly which princess and how she and Nico are related. (The way the dragon does this is actually kind of cool) Adora is overwhelmed, especially when she learns where her talents come from.

Nico transforms into a black dragon before her eyes. All the royal house are part dragon. The males can shapeshift into dragon form. The females have the ability to hear dragons, and to heal both dragons and humans.

Meanwhile in the Skithdron Empire, one of the last honorable men of that country discovers that his emperor is trafficking in forbidden magicks--magicks that have transformed him partially into one of the skith-lizards. Also that the Emperor is stark-raving mad.

Darian leaves his home, his country, and everything he has known to warn the people of Draconia that Skithdron is breeding advanced skith that are tearing through the countryside like a herd of killer-beasts, heading straight for Draconia. He also has worse news to bring. He only hopes that he will be left alive long enough to tell someone what he knows.

Darian knows his mission is suicide. But he has never had a family or a home. And his country is no longer worth serving.

He barely makes it to the Border Lair alive, even under a flag of truce. But in becoming a traitor to all he once knew, Darian finds his true destiny.

Escape Rating B: This story hit more of its marks for me as a fantasy, compared to the previous stories. There was a LOT more worldbuilding.

The sex is still hot, by the way, but in this story there is way more plot, as opposed to the story being an excuse for the sex.

Finding out that the royal family can shape-shift into dragons is fascinating, although I do wonder why only the men? Will we ever find out why that is? But we do get much more of the history, and it helps make the story. I hope we find out about Adora's stolen daughters, there was certainly foreshadowing in that direction.

The love story between Jaden, Adora and Darian was more developed as an actual love story than the insta-love in the earlier stories too. Jaden and Adora have been dancing around each other since the moment they met, so that pot has been boiling for some time. Neither of them exactly rushed into anything, and Jaden had a ton of healing to do first.

Having a mama dragon for a matchmaker may have helped things along a bit!

Darian's addition to the mix was a bit fast, but it didn't feel that way because Jaden had been so reluctant for too long. He really needed a push, and Darian was it.

After reading Border Lair, I'm probably going to get another book in the series and see if it's as plot-filled as this one, or more like the first two (Maiden Flight and The Dragon Healer). If it's as good as this one, I may go all in.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Under the Covers

BORDER LAIR is the second book in the Dragon Knights series. While I do believe that this book is strong as a standalone, Adora and Jared are introduced in MAIDEN FLIGHT and their romance really stems from there. This book takes on a different approach than the first book. I thought D’Arc really changed the tone of the series with this one. Things are far more bigger in this book - war is approaching and dark times are ahead.

Unfortunately for Jared, his life has been in constant darkness since his wife and child died. His grief still lingers within him and he feels unworthy of Adora’s love even though she is willing to give it freely. He deems himself undeserving and I think readers will be touched by Jared’s gentle heart. Adora gentle coxes Jared out of his shell and slowly learns his ways. As their romance continues to bloom D’Arc really cements the fact that they are meant to be together, a third member is introduced. Lord Darian comes to warn them that death and destruction come their way and though he is seen as a traitor now, Jared welcomes his old friend. Darian takes an immediate interest in Adora and sparks fly between the two. However, as Darian is a member of the royal line of black dragons, Adora is aware that she cannot have something permanent with Darian even though she desperately wants to.

D’Arc experiments with the mating rules and rituals she introduced in the first book and I liked seeing the happy ending at the end, but felt that the solution to the conflict seemed to happen too conveniently. I also felt that the romance was slightly impeded by Jared’s hesitancy and seemed to fast-track too quickly after when he made the decision to be with Adora to make up for the time lost. Nevertheless, I was enraptured by D’Arc’s world. Bringing together dragons, war and love, D’Arc is readily able to transport readers to another time, giving them an escape that they will sure to remember.

The sex scenes, again, are very explicit but are well-done. D’Arc explores light bondage and ménage well and am always looking forward to seeing how she will bring three different people together for the purpose of love. She seems to do a stellar job each time.

*ARC provided by publisher

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the Dragon Knights series, which is a different take on dragonriders; it resembles Anne McCaffrey's Pern books but is definitely for adult readers. The story starts with Lord Darian of Skithdron bedding a woman in a palace in order to gain access to secrets. He then decides that Lord Venerai and his ruler King Lucan are both deranged and evil.

Two neighouring kingdoms, Draconia and Skithdron, are at odds and while the former boasts dragons as native beings, the latter has venomous serpentine beasts called skiths. These usually solitary creatures are being controlled for use in warfare by King Lucan. Adora, a healer woman, has just been seriously wounded by skiths and saved by a dragon, and now she is resting in the BORDER LAIR while her injuries heal. An older dragon knight called Jared, bonded to a female dragon called Kelzy, is caring for her and gradually falling for the courageous woman. Prince Nico of Draconia arrives and discerns that Adora is likely to be of lost royal blood, as she can 'hear' dragon speech and magically heal others.

Belora, daughter of Adora, is also working as a healer, and mated to two dragon knights - women being scarce, the men willingly share a partner. Warfare is now waged openly between the kingdoms, the dragons flaming the skiths, which spit back acidic venom, while diamond-tipped crossbow bolts capable of piercing dragon scales are suddenly brought into use by the Skithdrons. Darius, fearing that the evil magic he has witnessed is taking over King Lucan, decides to defect in order to warn Draconia, thereby putting himself into grave peril. Meanwhile Adora is the subject of a well-meaning conspiracy by the dragon Kelzy, who decides that the woman requires two dragon knight mates.

This is part of a complex series but can be read as a standalone, with sympathetic characters and well-imagined medieval warfare. Be warned, it features threesomes in a loving relationship between three life partners. Bianca D'Arc has written several books in this and her other fantasy series. I enjoyed this exciting tale and will be looking out for more of her work.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a young widow, Adora raised her daughter by herself, never dreaming that love could cross her path again. But now that her girl is married to a pair of dragon knights, Adora’s eyes are opened to all the possibilities the Border Lair has to offer…including two handsome men who catch her eye.
Lord Darian Vordekrais is about to turn traitor, giving up his title, his lands, and his home in order to warn the dragons and knights of his treacherous king’s evil plan. But after he meets the beautiful widow, his sacrifice seems worth the cost. Meanwhile, Darian’s old friend Sir Jared, who lost his first wife and child to treachery, is shaken by his own intense attraction to Adora. But Jared’s broken heart is frozen in solid ice. Or is it?
As war looms on the horizon, the knights and dragons of the Border Lair rise to the occasion. New allies rally to their side, and romance blossoms and grows even as evil invades the land. The knights and dragons must stand fast against the onslaught, the beautiful woman of royal blood bringing them hope, healing and love.

Heather's Notes
This books are short and sexy. There is enough plot to keep the story together between the sex scenes. I like them and continue to read. I already knew who the girl in the bedroom was before the book told, but I am not really reading them for the suspense.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

i enjoyed this, although it does move really fast from meeting to sex!

dragons have knights. knights and dragons are bonded and share a great deal. when dragons pair for mating, they cannot join fully til their knights have found a mate too. since there are few women who can be around dragons or hear them, each pair of knights will share a single wife.

enter lots of multi partner sex.

there is an under story, but it doesnt hold up much as i've gone on to read all the others in this series.

not a bad, short story. they could have been made longer, developing the story, as opposed to all the sex!

same review, cos i'm a lazy toad!

[MK · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Adora, the mother of the heroine in the first book. Also Jared, the soldier partner of Kelzy, Adora's mother in spirit and Darian, a former skith lord turned dragon soldier.

The plot is interesting, definitely reading worthy, but the love story for me between the trio seems fast-paced. There are many sex scenes that the main action is somehow overshadowed. But this story makes you want to continue reading to the next story of this series. I only hope that there are more action than sex scenes in that one. Anyway, this is still an enjoyable read.

[Gotobedmouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things you need to know about the Dragon Knight Series:
1. The cover is absolutely amazing!
2. World building starts in book two
3. Dragon coupling turns into one big orgy
4. Dragons are horny
5. The author has the best name EVER: Bianca D'Arc.
6. I can't stop reading the books
7. Did I mention when Dragons can couple...they couple a lot
8. All of this series is on Overdrive at CALS
9. The books are too short
10. Bianca D'Arc also has a space series I am going to read after this.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I expected!

What was unexpected was at the end of Maiden Flight ( book 1), Border Lair popped up to be purchased? I already owned book 2 , but was surprised to see a B looking cover advertised. I have the cover showing a woman two men and dragons. I have no clue if there is a difference! Love, love, love this author!

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

******
If you liked this book you may enjoy the following groups:
Erotic Enchants Group
Menage Readers Group

[Sheila Grindatti · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I thought this book was better than the first, the sex still isn't to my liking but I can read over that stuff. Anyway this author likes to set up the next books so I'm going to keep on with the series. I really do like the story.

[J.W. Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh yes, I am glad they continued with Adora and Jared and yet you meet Dar as well. I really am enjoying this books.

The added enjoyment that Belora was pregnant with twins.

war has unleashed.

Selzy being the most awesome dragon ever

[Tiffany Krcma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read it was fun, although it seemed kind of a short read. Although I had purchased the book due to being on sale at the book store and it was unlike anything I had read before. I do plan on reading more of the series as well as more by the author.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually much more enjoyable than the first one, even though I didn't necessarily want to read HER story.

It just felt less prosey.

The plot and pacing was better.

All in all, enjoyable.

Looking forward to the next.