Serpents of Sky and Flame (Merciless Dragons, #1)

by Rebecca F. Kenney

“I don’t care what my mother says. I don’t want to huddle in some closet, only to be dragged out and publicly executed. If I must die, I’d rather be up here with you, fighting for my city and my kingdom. Please allow me that dignity.”

My mother is manning the walls with boys, and sending girls to carry urgent, private messages. She has poured lives into this war like water into a sieve, until our kingdom has nothing but children left.

“Your kingdom used to hunt my people, years ago,” I growl. “For that alone, you deserved the carnage we wrought upon your armies. As if that wasn’t enough, your Supreme Sorcerer killed the grandmother I adored, on whom I counted for advice. He killed my precious sister, without whom my brother and I are utterly lost. He stole my Promised, the warrior dragon who would have been my life-mate. She was more beautiful and powerful than a worm like you could ever be. You and yours have not only doomed my entire race, but ruined my happiness forever. I owe you nothing. You are nothing.”

By the bones, she’s fucking beautiful.

“You,” I murmur. “You need to be a good fucking girl.”

His hand curls around my wrist. “If you’re going to kill me, I have one condition.” “And what’s that?” “Kiss me first.”

Some primitive, shadowed part of me wants to be pursued like that, to be seized and thrown down and fucked so hard I can’t form logical thoughts. I ache to be wanted so ferociously, so madly, that a man can’t think of anything except losing himself inside me.

“Such a good fucking girl,”