Dark Fantasy Romance, Mystery & Suspense
Date Published: July 10, 2026
the fate of a kingdom.
Sidhe Prince Dearg Galatyn is a werewolf, spymaster, and Blade of the Dragon
God. When his deity sends him visions of a beautiful cop’s horrific
murder, Dearg must save her at all costs. Otherwise, she won’t be the
only one to die — and his kingdom could be lost.
Iona Anann is the granddaughter of Maeve, the Mother of Fairies. Her day job
is police chief of Summerwood, a quirky town full of magical creatures who
make fantasy films. When the dragon god’s feared werewolf weapon shares
his horrific visions, she is forced to accept Dearg as her bodyguard.
Then murder comes to Summerwood as the assassin begins picking off victims —
with Iona and her prince as his ultimate targets.
Locked in a pressure cooker of blood, magic and madness, Iona and Dearg begin
to fall in love. But stalked by killers and psychotic gods, will they even
live out the week?
Warning: Adult situations, graphic violence and language. No cheating,
guaranteed HEA.
My second cousin was plotting treason again.
I strode toward the private library in my parents’ wing, my boots
clicking over the jeweled tiles. I needed to brief Dad on Goran
Galatyn’s plot. We had to quell the bastard’s little rebellion
before he dragged us all into another civil war.
My hand slid to the messenger pouch that held the evidence of Goran’s
guilt. For the past month, I’d had my spies working to discover the
extent of the treason — the allies Goran had assembled, the knights,
mercenaries, and armsmen he’d recruited or hired. My agents were
well-placed and reliable — a high-ranking knight, a noblewoman, one of my
cousin’s so-called friends, and Goran’s mistress, all of whom had
reason to hate the bastard. The evidence they’d collected was solid,
corroborating each other even though none of them knew about the others.
I’d compiled the reports and documents they’d produced into a
coherent picture that revealed just how close Goran was to launching an
attack.
Fortunately, the plot had yet to pick up steam. My father was a popular king,
generous and fair, and his Morven subjects weren’t interested in
swapping him for a predatory tyrant. Not after my uncle’s hellish reign.
With Dad’s approval, I’d head for my cousin’s mansion in the
morning and… remind him why betraying King Llŷr Galatyn was a bad idea.
Goran, you cretin, Dad gave you one second chance already. That’s all
you g —
The vision hit between one step and the next, driving into me like a
tournament lance. My knees buckled. I tripped, my face smacking the marble
with a painful pop of light. The world dropped away.
Huge, brilliant eyes stared into mine, irises somewhere between green and
gold, hot and lazy with passion. One corner of the woman’s lush mouth
crooked up as she smiled. Her hair was long, a gleaming mass of green curls
that tumbled around pale, bare shoulders. Her graceful fingers slid through my
hair, her touch both sensual and soothing. “I love you,” she
breathed, her voice throaty, rich with need. “I need you. Now.”
My c*ck hardened in a rush. No surprise, given the feel of her lean, athletic
body, the sweet curves of her small breasts. But what did surprise me was the
peace I felt — as if I’d found the love my parents had. This is a hell
of a lot better than my usual vis —
I should have known better.
The vision shattered into a thousand fragments amid breathless howls of pain.
The accompanying image was worse. Huge talons gripped the woman I’d just
been making love to, digging in as the creature crushed and twisted her like a
scullery wringing a rag. Bones crunched and her green eyes bulged, screams
breaking off into a breathless wheeze of terror and anguish. An immense raptor
beak punched into her belly…
No! My horror snapped like thin ice over hot rage. I roared, trying to draw
the jeweled sword at my hip, but my body lay paralyzed.
The vision tore, the pieces flying away like shreds of parchment in a
hurricane.
My vision version gripped the curve of the woman’s ass as I pressed her
against the wall. “I swear they won’t get you as long as I
–”
Shreds flew, and she was dressed like an American cop in a black uniform, a
gold badge gleaming on her chest. She stood crouched and ready with a
longsword in her hands in front of a shop window. The English words Summerwood
Spells and Potions flowed in gold script across the expanse of plate glass.
Lovely face cold with fury, she stepped forward, swinging the sword with
impressive strength —
Another blade rammed straight through her chest. Her unseen attacker lifted
her off her feet and kicked her body off his sword, sending her flying
backward to slam into the window. It shattered, and she fell into the display
beyond, landing amid tumbling bottles that broke under her weight.
Sickened, I stared through the glass shards as she writhed in pain, gasping,
the light draining from her huge green eyes as pumping blood soaked the window
display —
The scene broke apart again, and she pressed silken and strong against
vision-me as I suckled her pretty bare breasts —
I watched her die again.
The tortuous visions went on and on, me making love to her, then witnessing
her murder, each death more twisted and violent than the last — eaten by
monsters, screaming in agony as she burned like a torch, crushed under a
hurtling boulder, thrown by unseen hands over the edge of a cliff, hacked
apart with a massive axe. Nightmare piled on nightmare until I prayed for her
torture to end.
I was no stranger to watching people die — I’d killed my share. But
watching the cop die again and again drove sick, helpless despair through me.
In between those hideous deaths, she stared into my eyes with a love I’d
thought I’d never find. Women bedded me for the power and bragging
rights that came with fucking a prince, but they didn’t love me. I was
the King’s dog, not quite Sidhe enough despite my royal blood.
To everyone, it seemed, but her.
The vision tore for the last time, and I found myself lying on cold tiles
staring at a marble column, my head aching so hard, my eyes throbbed.
“What. The fuck. Was that?” The words emerged as a rumbling growl.
I pushed myself to hands and knees that were as huge and furry as the rest of
my body, fingers tipped in three-inch claws. My werewolf form. When did I
shift?
Didn’t matter. I had to find her, protect her, whoever she was. Right
the hell now.
Yes, Cachamwri’s voice rumbled from the depths of my mind, the Dragon
God’s magic vibrating in my bones. Without her, we’re all lost.
Find her in Summerwood and let nothing separate you until she’s safe.
Show no mercy to any who would feed upon her.
Over the fifteen years since Cachamwri had demanded my service, I’d
never craved a mission. I craved this one. I had to save her. I couldn’t
let her die, let her suffer, let the assassins torture her. I’d have
gone after her even without your orders.
I know. That’s why you’re my Blade. The god sounded smug.
But Cachamwri wasn’t the only one I owed a duty to. I’ve got to
tell Dad I’m going. I can’t let him get blindsided by this…
whatever the hell it is.
Yes, tell him. But be quick. Without you, she’ll die tonight.
I struggled to my feet, as clumsy and aching as if I’d been beaten with
a bag of bricks. Grimly, I headed down the corridor, the pain falling away as
Cachamwri’s strength flooded me, washing away the ache and confusion.
Bones crunched and her green eyes bulged. Screams breaking off into a
breathless wheeze of terror and anguish. An immense raptor beak punched into
her belly —
The hall spun, and I stumbled against the wall, swallowing bile. I’d be
experiencing flashbacks until I fulfilled my assignment. Goran Galatyn’s
rebellion would have to wait.
Your father will have no kingdom to save if she dies, the dragon god told me.
I didn’t doubt Cachamwri. Whoever was behind this was a monster, and I
wanted him dead as badly as my god did. I’d never met the green-haired
woman, but I knew her. Her taste, her smile, her passion. I wanted to know
even more. Ached to know everything.
Some sane part of me rebelled. This isn’t me. I didn’t do love at
first sight — not after getting kicked in the teeth by court ladies so often.
Especially not because of a vision, for Cachamwri’s sake. I wasn’t
that kind of impulsive idiot.
But this clawing need said otherwise. I couldn’t let the fuckers kill
her.
You have thirty minutes. No longer. Cachamwri’s thundering presence
faded to a distant mental rumble. I sighed in relief as the crushing pressure
lifted. Reaching for my magic, I shifted back to Sidhe form, the blue brocade
and silk of my court garb returning, jeweled sword swinging in its scabbard by
my left hip.
Something stung my leg like a hive of bees, the pain so sharp, I jerked and
swore. An abrupt, grinding hunger rolled over me — not for food, but the
blood of the woman’s would-be assassins.
New York Times best-selling author Angela Knight has written and published
more than sixty novels, novellas, and ebooks, including the Mageverse and
Merlin’s Legacy series. With a career spanning more than two decades,
Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine has awarded her their Career Achievement
award in Paranormal Romance, as well as two Reviewers’ Choice awards for
Best Erotic Romance and Best Werewolf Romance.
Angela is currently a writer, editor, and cover artist for Changeling Press
LLC. She also teaches online writing courses. Besides her fiction work,
Angela’s writing career includes a decade as an award-winning South
Carolina newspaper reporter. She lives in South Carolina with her husband,
Michael, a thirty-year police veteran and detective with a local police
department.
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