Sneak Peek at Smoldering Frost 2/12/2025

 Introduction:

This blog features random scenes from works in progress within the Draoithe Saga by Ophelia Kee. These works are primarily urban fantasy and paranormal romance with magical realism, dark themes, and fated mates sprinkled throughout. Here you will find scenes which are yet to be published as of the time of posting, and these chapters may require further editing. It's a look behind the curtain, a sneak peek if you will, at scenes from stories Ophelia Kee is currently drafting. 

If you want polished complete stories, this is not the right place. But if you enjoy bits and bobs of things yet to come, won't fall in love with a rough version, and want a taste of the dream before the magic coalesces, then you have found the spot. 

February 12, 2025 Sneak Peek at Smoldering Frost

Warning:

This is a work in progress and is subject to change at any time.

Read at Your Own Risk!

Copyright 2025

All Rights Reserved.

Into The Library

Char

Char lost himself in the kiss, but his honor screamed at him to stop. He crossed a line he shouldn’t step over. Char pulled back from her. He clawed back his control.

Her arms slipped around his neck as her tongue slipped into his mouth, demanding to taste him.

Char was a dragon who spent the first three centuries of his life satisfying the desires of his riders to fly. He wouldn’t deny the only woman he’d ever desired the right to seek her satisfaction from him. Char let her taste him as thoroughly as she wanted.

When she finally broke the kiss, he didn’t stop her. He stepped back from her immediately. His honor begrimed at his shameful behavior.

Ice reached a hand up to her decidedly puffy, kiss bruised lips. She looked up at him, then she blushed and looked away from him.

Tessara wasn’t angry with him?

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”

“I’m not sorry.”

“I’m a woman. I’m not a trophy to be put up on a shelf. You’re an attractive man. I wondered what it would feel like to kiss you. Now, I know. I warn you; I might do it again because I quite liked it. Now, maybe you will speak to me.”

“When Tessara? When were you wondering what it would feel like?”

Char grabbed her arm so she couldn’t turn away from him.

“When you walked into the room, I was daydreaming. Nothing would make the fantasy more perfect than to be with a companion who desired me for me. Your face may have been involved. You are sexy. It’s no secret I find you attractive.”

Tessara rambled, flustered and embarrassed.

Char grabbed her up and spun her around, laughing. No wonder he’d lost his mind. She was his mate. He desperately wanted to satisfy her.

He could deny her nothing. He wouldn’t deny her the fantasy if he’d been the object. She smiled with a slight tilt of her head and a furrow of her brow.

“Char, are you okay?”

“I’m better than okay.”

She stared at him with her pretty little eyebrows knitted together.

“Okay. Explanations. When I came into the room, I lost myself to your desire, but I hadn’t intended it. It hasn’t happened to me for nearly five hundred years when a witch had captured me and tried to force me to turn her into a Valkyrie. I denied her, but I wound up trapped in my mind for three days. Lightning came for me. We ended the witch, but I spent the next fifty years learning how to ensure no one could abuse me again.”

“No wonder you thought I cast a spell on you! But how did you get drawn into my desire?”

“Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re not a shifter. When a shifter finds their lifemate, it’s serious. Magic pushes us to satisfy our mate’s desires. Your fantasy drew me into it. I was the object. The power of magic is in the mind.”

“You mean because I had a silly daydream about kissing you, you got caught up in it because you think I’m your mate?”

“No. I know what you are to me. Perhaps my version of the fantasy was more serious than a kiss. But your desire too closely matched my own. And yes, that’s what happened. It doesn’t help that you’re beyond beautiful. I’ve already confessed my attraction to you.”

She still didn’t believe she was his mate, frustrating him.

“I’m sorry if I frightened you, but I didn’t understand. I only just found you. Nothing like that has ever happened before.”

Char blew out his breath. It wasn’t her fault she wasn’t a shifter.

“Char, I think you’re handsome. I appreciate your help, truly. I’ll try to repay you for all the clothes, but I have a business. My entire life is in San Antonio with my sisters. My spa is there.”

“Then, I guess you’ll be unhappy when I tell you Flower planted a giant oak in the hallway, effectively trapping my brother Ember in the room with her. She refused to remove it. Cloud tried to explain how it damaged the house, but Flower yelled something about not letting anyone take her dragon.”

“She did what?”

Tessara opened the door and ran down the hall to the oak tree.

Char followed her.

“She said to tell you she wouldn’t give him up and you should wait until Spark gets here. She said Spark would back her up this time.”

Tessara glared at the tree. It almost completely blocked the doorway.

“How could she do this? Spark is coming here? How does Flower know that?”

Tessara ran back to the room.

Char was hungry. All the running around made him grouchy. What happened to breakfast? It was practically noon.

When he walked back to the room, he stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He watched her as she opened the cell phone and checked all the messages.

“Raarr! Spark is on her way. Flower convinced her I’m an evil tyrant for refusing to let Flower keep her latest boy toy.”

Tessara paced the floor. The cellphone landed hard on the bed. Ember, a boy toy? That was laughable.

“I knew staying here was a bad idea. I should have made them leave with me last night. No one has opened our stores in over two weeks. My clients have probably lost interest. How will I pay the rent? Flower wants to stay until Spark gets here.”

She turned on him.

“Dragons. This is all your fault! How are you going to fix this? I’ll lose my business. Ember probably told Flower the same stupid shit about lifemates. Flower is gullible enough to believe him. How am I going to get her out?”

“Hey, I didn’t kidnap any of you. I didn’t hold you in a cage for days or abuse you. I even offered to help you leave yesterday. How is it my fault you stayed and slept in my arms?!”

Char’s voice rose.

“We were all gone for three hours last night. No one would’ve asked you to stay if you’d wanted to go. Luke would have asked only for the cell phones. He wouldn’t have asked for your servants. They belong to you, along with all the clothes, shoes, and jewelry. If you want it, I’ll arrange for you to go now.”

Char hadn’t lied to her. He didn’t expect her to believe him, but he also hadn’t expected her to use him and blame him for what someone else had done. Damn, if fire and water didn’t mix.

She was sexy as hell when angry, and he still fucking wanted her. It was madness. He turned and walked away.

Char refused to fight with a woman in the hallway. She’d hurt him, and Tessara shouldn’t have been able to.

He was a dragon, invincible. At the rate she pulled his strings, he may as well hand her his spear and have her run him through.

He should go to his king and confess his inadequacy for the assignment. Better to never fly, better to renounce his position, better to become ash than to be less than a man.

Char grabbed two bags of beef jerky from the kitchen on his way to the back patio. He crossed the lawn to the creek.

By the time he reached it, he was moving fast enough to jump it. He slipped into the trees and felt the shade of the forest take the edge off. He ate the beef jerky in short order.

Char’s clothes piled on the forest floor the minute he couldn’t give the neighbors a free show. He shifted, spread his wings, and did the impossible. He stepped straight into the sky.

He felt the air rush over him as it stole his irritation. He caught a thermal and soared so high falcons would’ve feared the loss of the land.

Char almost fell from the sky when he realized he flew. How was it possible? He caught another updraft and regained his balance. Floating lazily in the sky, he could think clearer.

Char hadn’t sworn a protection oath to a dragon handler in three hundred years. He’d remained celibate, then he’d promised to keep Tessara safe. She’d kissed him.

Could one kiss allow him to fly? It was insane. It had always taken hours to build enough energy.

What should he do about Tessara? Maybe he should let her go.

Tessara didn’t want him. She wanted her life. Perhaps he should help her leave and give up his ridiculous dream of having his Valkyrie.

Char breathed fire. He didn’t want to give her up. Why did it fucking hurt so much?

He wasn’t in love with her. She had no genuine feelings for him. She’d known him for all of two nights and a day, sleeping most of the time.

Char breathed and dropped from the sky. He had a meeting to attend. He landed easily.

He dressed quickly and made his way over the lawn to Fox’s house. He stepped into the dining room from the patio. Isabell waved him down the hall.

Char stepped into the library, followed by Fox, then Luke. Ash, Smoke, and Javier were already there.

Thank you for visiting the scrying pool of Draoithe Preview Chapters. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the future of the dream. - OK

Thank you for your support! Welcome to the dream… Sincerely, -OK

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