Kiss of the Dragon

Kiss Of The Dragon

Book Eight in the Kindred Series

By Nicola Claire

Copyright © 2013, Nicola Claire

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-0-473-25227-4

nicolaclairebooks.blogspot.com

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organisations is entirely coincidental.

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Cover Art by Nicola Claire & Minette Hanekom

Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo

Image #
9276881   

Font credit: Last Soundtrack "EpoXY histoRy"

My special thanks to Minette of
Red Cherry Graphic Design
for her expertise, unfailing support and precious time, making the
Kindred Series
look as sexy as it deserves.

More books by Nicola Claire:

Kindred Series

Kindred

Blood Life Seeker

Forbidden Drink

Giver of Light

Dancing Dragon

Shadow's Light

Entwined With The Dark

Kiss Of The Dragon

Mixed Blessing Mystery Series

Mixed Blessing

Sweet Seduction Series

Sweet Seduction Sacrifice

Sweet Seduction Serenade

Sweet Seduction Shadow

Sweet Seduction Surrender (Late 2013)

Elemental Awakening Series

The Tempting Touch Of Fire (Late 2013)

For:

The Fans; who have taken to Lucinda & Michel's story with such devotion.

And in particular to Minette Hanekom, who gave her time and expertise

to make the Kindred Series look even better.

Accord
–
A blood binding agreement, often between two parties of equal power; cannot be broken.

Álfheimr
– (Fey) Faerie. Home to the Fey.

Alliance
–
A word of honour agreement; has varying degrees of binding, some alliances cannot be broken.

Bjóða
–
(Fey) A challenge.

Bjórr
–
(Fey) Fey beer.

Blood Bond
–
A binding connection between master and servant, requiring the exchange of blood to seal. It can only be broken by someone more powerful than the master who created it. A blood bond establishes a close relationship between the blood bonded. The master provides safety and protection, the servant offers obedience and loyalty.

Bond
–
The connection between joined kindred Nosferatu and Nosferatin; reflects the emotional and psychological relationship. Enables both parties to find each other over distance; to perform whatever is required to get to that person, overcoming any obstacle; to direct thoughts to each other; to feed off the life force of each other. It is always an equal exchange.

Ceannard -
(Gaelic) Leader of the Dragon shape shifters.

Command
–
A directive given by a Master vampire to one of his line. It requires
Sanguis Vitam
in order to enforce obedience. It cannot be ignored.

Dökkálfa
–
(Fey) The Dark Fey.

Dream Walk
–
A Nosferatin power, enabling the Nosferatin to appear in a different location. The Dream Walker is invisible, cannot be sensed or smelled, and only heard if they talk when in this realm. They can, however, interact and be harmed. The only exception to a Dream Walker's invisibility is another Nosferatin. Two Dream Walks in a 24 hour period results in prolonged unconsciousness once the Dream Walker returns to their body. A very rare power.

Dùthaich -
(Gaelic) Territory. Region of land belonging to a particular family of
Nathair-Sgiathach
, or dragon shape shifters.

Elska
–
(Fey) Literally
love
. An
elska
is a
mœðr.
A member of the fey can only ever have one
elska
in their lives. They are in tune with the Light or
ljós
within their matched fairy and potentially will become their one true love.

Fīfrildi
– (Fey) A type of winged fairy. Yellow
Dökkálfa
Fey.

Final death
–
The true death of a Nosferatu. There can be no survival from the final death.

Glaze
–
The ability to influence another. It requires direct eye contact and
Sanguis Vitam
to insert the influence. Usually a Nosferatu skill, allowing a vampire to influence a human.

Grey Lords
– The
Dökkálfa
law keepers.

Herald
–
The Nosferatin who recognises the Prophesy. It is the Herald's responsibility to acknowledge the
Sanguis Vitam Cupitor
and thereby initiate the Prophesy.

Hapū
–
(Maori) Tribe; sub-tribe – e.g. the Westside Hapū of Taniwha is the local Auckland sub-tribe of New Zealand Taniwha.

Hyrða
– (Fey) Fairy guards. Green
Dökkálfa
Fey.

Iunctio
–
(Latin). The Nosferatu connection and governing power. All vampires are connected to one another via this supernatural information exchange highway; enabling sharing of rules, locations of safe havens and hot spots to avoid. It is powered by both Nosferatu and Nosferatin
Sanguis Vitam
, but is operated by the Nosferatu in Paris. There are twelve members of the
Iunctio
council, headed by the Champion. The
Iunctio
is tasked with policing all supernaturals throughout the world.

Joining
–
The marriage of a kindred Nosferatu with a kindred Nosferatin. Upon joining the Nosferatu will double their
Sanguis Vitam
and the Nosferatin will come into their powers, but for the Nosferatin, their powers will only manifest  after reaching maturity; the age of 25. The joining will also make the Nosferatin immortal. A symbiotic relationship, should one member of the joining die, the other will too. Without a joining, the Nosferatin would die one month passed their 25
th
birthday. The joining also increases the power of the
Iunctio
and Nosferatu as a whole.

Kaitiaki
–
(Maori) New Zealand Shape Shifter (Taniwha) name for Nosferatin. Meaning protective guardian of people and places.

Kindred
–
A Nosferatu or Nosferatin sacred match, a suitable partner for a joining. To be a kindred there must exist a connection between the Nosferatu and Nosferatin; only those suitably compatible will be kindred to the other.

Kvángask
– (Fey) A marriage ceremony between
elska.
Involves a public sharing of silver, sustenance and bodies.

Line
–
The family of a master vampire, all members of which have been turned by the master, or accepted via blood bond into the fold.

Ljós
–
(Fey) Light.

Ljósálfar
–
(Fey) The Light Fey.

Lux Lucis Tribuo
–
(Latin) The Giver of Light. The third part of the Prophesy. The
Lux Lucis Tribuo
is charged with balancing the Dark in Dark vampires out with their Light.

Master
–
A Nosferatu with the highest level of
Sanguis Vitam.
There are five levels of Master, from level five – the lowest on the
Sanguis Vitam
scale, to level one – the highest on the
Sanguis Vitam
scale. Only level one Masters can head a line of their own. Some Nosferatu may never become Masters.

Master of the City
–
A level one Master in control of a territory; a city.

Mœðr
–
(Fey) Mother or mate. A human capable of parenting fey offspring.

Nathair-Sgiathach -
(Gaelic) Winged Serpent, the Dragon shape shifters native to the British Isles.

Norm
–
A human unaware of the supernaturals who walk the Earth. They also do not have any supernatural abilities themselves.

Nosferatin
–
(
Nosferat–een)
-
A vampire hunter by birth. Nosferatin were once of the same ilk as Nosferatu, descendants from the same ancestors, or God. The Nosferatin broke off and turned towards the Light. Their sole purpose is to bring the Nosferatu back from the Dark, this can include dispatching them, bringing them the final death, when they cannot be saved. They are now a mix of human and Nosferatin genetics.

Nosferatu
–
A vampire. The Nosferatu turned towards the Dark, when their kin, the Nosferatin turned towards the Light. They require blood to survive and can be harmed by UV exposure and silver. They do not need to breathe or have a heart beat. They are considered the undead.

Prohibitum Bibere
–
(Latin) The Forbidden Drink. The second part of the Prophesy. The
Prohibitum Bibere
is a siren to the Dark vampires throughout the world, calling their Darkness towards the Light.

Pull
–
The Nosferatin sense of evil. Guides a hunter to a Dark vampire; sometimes, but not always a rogue, who is about to feed off an innocent.

Rākaunui
– (Maori) Full Moon.

Rogue
–
A vampire no longer controlled by a master, full of evil and Darkness, feeding indiscriminately and uncontrolled.

Sanguis Vitam
–
(Latin) The Blood Life or life force of a Nosferatu. It represents the power they possess. There are varying degrees of
Sanguis Vitam
.

Sanguis Vitam Cupitor
–
(Latin) The Blood Life Seeker. The first part of the Prophesy. The
Sanguis Vitam Cupitor
can sense and find all Dark vampires throughout the world.

Síðastr Portal
– (Fey) A one-way portal that perpetually remains open despite the closure of other portals to
Álfheimr
. It allows access from Earth to
Álfheimr.

Sigillum
–
(Latin) A permanent mark of possession.

Starkad
– (Fey) The
Ljósálfar
law keepers.

Taniwha –
(Maori) New Zealand Shape Shifter. Dangerous, predatory beings. The Taniwha have an alliance with the Nosferatins.

Taufr
–
(Fey) Talisman. A charmed amulet or object.

Teaghlach
- (Gaelic) Shape shifter pack or family.

Tego Texi Tectum
– (Latin) To cover, protect and shield. Referring to a vampire power of guarding and sheltering themselves and others from certain magical powers.

Turned
–
The action of changing a human into a vampire.

Umskipti
–
(Fey) Changeling. A member of the fey used to replace human children who were identified as
mœðr
. The changeling takes on the form of the stolen child and fools the human parents until adulthood, when they simply disappear. Fey stole human children to improve fertility in
Álfheimr
. The stolen human child is raised in Faerie as one of their own to breed fey.

Vampyre
–
Old term for vampire; used rarely in modern language.

Vinr
–
(Fey) Vanguard. The first of the fey to cross a portal. Their job is to ensure it is safe for other fey to follow.