DRAGON’S WEB by LIA DAVIS
Who
will win Nyna’s heart? The sexy dragon shifter who’s watched over her or the
best friend who Nyna thought had abandoned her? Find out in this sexy menage
from fan favorite, Lia Davis.
Author: Lia Davis
Author Location: Jacksonville, FL
Genre: Paranormal
Romance
Release Date: November 15, 2015
Publisher: After Glows
Format: Digital
eBook
ISBN: 9780966430388
Synopsis:
30 Authors. 30 Shifter Stories
Established
author and black dragon shifter, Cayden Rienhardt, has watched over the
beautiful and very human, Nyna Carter, most of her life. But he never
entertained the idea of more until recently. When an ex-lover from Nyna’s past
comes back to Woodland Creek and makes it clear she plans to spend her life
with Nyna, Cayden’s dragon forces him to break his silence and make a move to
cast his magical web. But he could get more than he ever bargained for in the
process.
Eighteen
months ago, lone cat shifter Kara Mitchell inadvertently witnessed the murder
of her best friend’s parents. When she fled the scene to contact the police,
she was captured and held prisoner, forcing her to leave Nyna and her life
behind with no explanation. Now that she’s escaped her captors, she returns to
Woodland Creek to help Nyna find closure and stop the murderer, but things
aren’t as she remembered. Not only is there a rift between her and Nyna,
there’s a very sexy dragon shifter complicating matters.
Stuck in a
web of lies, scandal, and a tantalizing love triangle, Nyna isn’t sure whom to
trust. Her heart wants both Kara and Cayden, but they each have secrets. When
Kara reveals that someone close to Nyna is responsible for her parents’
murders, her love life becomes secondary to the investigation. She is
determined to find out the truth. Even if it means that her life will change
forever.
In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and
publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books,
including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim,
book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature
compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and
her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle
she throws at them, they come out better in the end.
While
writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her
living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so
that others can leave real life
behind for a few hours at a time. Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. . She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter @NovelsByLia.
Connect with Lia: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Authorgraph | Amazon Author Page
Excerpt:
Nyna flipped the lights on as she entered Carter’s Books and Gifts then turned the neon Open sign on. The smell of books and incense lingered in the air, soothing. She hummed softly as she made her way to the back of the store where her office was. After locking her purse up, she selected a playlist from her computer and pressed play. The quiet store filled with soft coffee house music.
The bookstore was her grandmother’s baby. Since Nyna loved hanging out here anytime she visited, she’d decided to work here after graduation, not caring that it was a forty-five-minute drive from Louisville. Grams had taught her everything there was to know about the specialty gifts and books she carried. As a college graduation gift, Grams had signed ownership over to Nyna.
With a heavy heart, Nyna sighed at the memory of her grandmother. The older woman had passed away of natural causes about three years ago. Then thoughts of her parents settled in, bringing a few tears. God, she missed them. Sadness and grief had turned into anger some time ago. She was pissed that the police didn’t care enough to do more to find the killer. The bastard was still out there. Somewhere.
The door chimed, drawing her attention. A smile tugged at her lips at the sight of her uncle, Henry Carter. “Good morning. When did you get back in town?”
His brown gaze met hers. He looked tired and a little annoyed, but he smiled at her. “I just got in and thought to stop by to see my favorite niece.”
She rolled her eyes. “Considering I’m your only one...”
“So true.” He glanced around, his brows dipping. “The place hasn’t changed much.”
With a sigh, she turned and picked up one of the boxes that had been delivered the day before and opened it. Inside, wrapped tightly with bubble wrap, were the glass figurines she’d ordered. They would go nicely in the new case she’d bought last month at the antique auction.
“I guess not much changed in the last couple of months.” She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her tone but failed. Even though she loved her uncle, he could be…well, a little judgmental at times. As well as negative. She could only handle him in small doses because he always left a heaviness behind, and his time was about up.
Her cell rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and smiled shyly at the number. Cayden Reinhardt. Turning her back to her uncle, she answered. “Hello.”
“Hi, beautiful.”
His deep, husky voice sent hot need racing through her. She’d never been the type to date older men, but Cayden was different. Not that they were dating. Hell, he’d never even asked her out. There was the occasional call. And he’d come by the store with his laptop and sit in the corner to write. They’d gotten to know each other a bit, even flirted and teased each other. But there was so much more to know. So much more she wanted to know. Like, why was a man so sexy still single? “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”
But it didn’t hurt to flirt when the opportunity arose.
“Do you have lunch plans?”
Her heart froze in mid-beat before thump, thumping in rapid succession. “Um, no.”
Was he actually asking her out?
“Good. I’ll be there at noon.” He hung up, not giving her a chance to reply. But that was Cayden. A man of few words.
She shoved her phone back in her pocket and tried to slow the rush of blood to her head as she turned to face her uncle once more. Henry glared at her with a raised brow. “Who was that?”
“Cayden.” Turning back to the box of glass miniatures, she picked it up and carried it to the display case by the door. Please leave. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Henry was up to something, or wanted something and just wasn’t going to tell her what. It was no secret that he and Cayden didn’t get along.
“Isn’t he too old for you? He’s a little older than your father would be if he were still alive.”
The judgment in her uncle’s tone prodded the anger she carried for the heartless bastard who’d killed her parents and she snapped. She jerked around and pinned him with a narrowed-eye glare. “Cayden is only thirty-nine. Dad would have turned forty-five in a week.” Her lip trembled, and her eyes burned as tears threatened to form. “I think you need to leave so I can get back to work. Thank you for stopping by.”
A tic formed in his jaw a moment before he pivoted on his heels and walked out of the store. Nyna blew out a breath. Maybe she was being too sensitive. With her dad’s birthday in a few days, she didn’t feel like being around family. Too many memories, too many feelings she didn’t want to deal with.
Unwrapping the figurines, she carefully placed them in the case. Each one was a different animal with a few fairies thrown in. She would have to price them much higher than her other items, and she hoped she hadn’t made a bad business choice. The real test wouldn’t come until the tourists arrived in the spring.
She stepped back to admire the display. Despite her uncle’s grumpy attitude, she was in a fabulous mood. After all, Cayden was taking her to lunch.
The bookstore was her grandmother’s baby. Since Nyna loved hanging out here anytime she visited, she’d decided to work here after graduation, not caring that it was a forty-five-minute drive from Louisville. Grams had taught her everything there was to know about the specialty gifts and books she carried. As a college graduation gift, Grams had signed ownership over to Nyna.
With a heavy heart, Nyna sighed at the memory of her grandmother. The older woman had passed away of natural causes about three years ago. Then thoughts of her parents settled in, bringing a few tears. God, she missed them. Sadness and grief had turned into anger some time ago. She was pissed that the police didn’t care enough to do more to find the killer. The bastard was still out there. Somewhere.
The door chimed, drawing her attention. A smile tugged at her lips at the sight of her uncle, Henry Carter. “Good morning. When did you get back in town?”
His brown gaze met hers. He looked tired and a little annoyed, but he smiled at her. “I just got in and thought to stop by to see my favorite niece.”
She rolled her eyes. “Considering I’m your only one...”
“So true.” He glanced around, his brows dipping. “The place hasn’t changed much.”
With a sigh, she turned and picked up one of the boxes that had been delivered the day before and opened it. Inside, wrapped tightly with bubble wrap, were the glass figurines she’d ordered. They would go nicely in the new case she’d bought last month at the antique auction.
“I guess not much changed in the last couple of months.” She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her tone but failed. Even though she loved her uncle, he could be…well, a little judgmental at times. As well as negative. She could only handle him in small doses because he always left a heaviness behind, and his time was about up.
Her cell rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and smiled shyly at the number. Cayden Reinhardt. Turning her back to her uncle, she answered. “Hello.”
“Hi, beautiful.”
His deep, husky voice sent hot need racing through her. She’d never been the type to date older men, but Cayden was different. Not that they were dating. Hell, he’d never even asked her out. There was the occasional call. And he’d come by the store with his laptop and sit in the corner to write. They’d gotten to know each other a bit, even flirted and teased each other. But there was so much more to know. So much more she wanted to know. Like, why was a man so sexy still single? “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”
But it didn’t hurt to flirt when the opportunity arose.
“Do you have lunch plans?”
Her heart froze in mid-beat before thump, thumping in rapid succession. “Um, no.”
Was he actually asking her out?
“Good. I’ll be there at noon.” He hung up, not giving her a chance to reply. But that was Cayden. A man of few words.
She shoved her phone back in her pocket and tried to slow the rush of blood to her head as she turned to face her uncle once more. Henry glared at her with a raised brow. “Who was that?”
“Cayden.” Turning back to the box of glass miniatures, she picked it up and carried it to the display case by the door. Please leave. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Henry was up to something, or wanted something and just wasn’t going to tell her what. It was no secret that he and Cayden didn’t get along.
“Isn’t he too old for you? He’s a little older than your father would be if he were still alive.”
The judgment in her uncle’s tone prodded the anger she carried for the heartless bastard who’d killed her parents and she snapped. She jerked around and pinned him with a narrowed-eye glare. “Cayden is only thirty-nine. Dad would have turned forty-five in a week.” Her lip trembled, and her eyes burned as tears threatened to form. “I think you need to leave so I can get back to work. Thank you for stopping by.”
A tic formed in his jaw a moment before he pivoted on his heels and walked out of the store. Nyna blew out a breath. Maybe she was being too sensitive. With her dad’s birthday in a few days, she didn’t feel like being around family. Too many memories, too many feelings she didn’t want to deal with.
Unwrapping the figurines, she carefully placed them in the case. Each one was a different animal with a few fairies thrown in. She would have to price them much higher than her other items, and she hoped she hadn’t made a bad business choice. The real test wouldn’t come until the tourists arrived in the spring.
She stepped back to admire the display. Despite her uncle’s grumpy attitude, she was in a fabulous mood. After all, Cayden was taking her to lunch.
