Fire Maidens: London by Anna Lowe

~ NEW ~ EXCERPT BELOW ~




Fleeing a creepy stalker, Gemma moves to London, where she is absolutely, positively not getting involved with any men. Then she meets Liam, a sweet, sexy modern-day knight who sparks sizzling desires. The problem? He’s crazy, believing in dragons, lion shifters, and evil factions hunting Gemma for her “royal” blood...


Check prices before you buy.


Amazon US   Amazon UK

Amazon AU   Amazon CA



Liam stood on guard all afternoon, watching every passerby on Notting Hill for any hint of danger. All in all, it was like some of the guard posts he’d been assigned in the military, without the sandbags and mortars. Plus, there was a huge bonus because Gemma would peek out the shop window from time to time, making his soul sing.

We belong together, his inner lion sighed.

True, but he would have to convince Gemma of that, and she thought he was insane.

Eventually, not long after six, the bell over the map shop door jingled, and Gemma exited, calling goodbye to her boss. Then she stopped, put her hands on her hips, and looked straight at Liam.

Her expression wavered between I can’t believe you’re still here and It’s so nice to see you, and Liam was glad too. Then she spun on her heel and headed resolutely down the road. The twisted bun she wore her long, blackish-brown hair in that day bounced as she strode along.

He hurried over and fell into step beside her. “Did you have a good day?”

She threw him an exasperated look. “Yes. No dragons.”

He gave his chest a little pat. “See? It pays to have a bodyguard.”

She hid the smile and whatever flirty comeback she’d had on the tip of her tongue. “How exactly are you going to protect me against dragons? Are you a knight or something?”

He laughed. “No. Just a lion.”

Her step hitched, but she covered it up. “I see. A lion.”

Boy, she really did think he was crazy. But that was all right. Even liberating, in a way, not having to be constantly on guard against letting the truth slip.

“A lion shifter, actually. We can change back and forth.”

“I see. Your whole family?”

He decided not to go into details, like the fact that his father had been a dragon shifter. “Most of us, anyway.”

“Aha. And how exactly would a lion protect me from a dragon? Dragons can breathe fire, right?”

That was exactly the question he’d been mulling over all afternoon. “The trick will be to keep them on neutral territory where they can’t shift into dragon form. They wouldn’t want to be seen.”

“Oh no. They definitely wouldn’t want to be seen,” she said in that indulgent tone. 

He motioned around. “Open streets, the Underground — that should be all right. We’ll have to be careful of wide-open spaces, though.”

She shot him a piteous look, then glanced away again.

“Military training helps too,” he added. “You know, in case it comes to hand-to-hand combat.”

It was a joke, but Gemma looked dead serious. “You were in the British Army?”

“No, the French Foreign Legion.”

Her jaw swung open — the usual reaction he got. “Really?”

He nodded. “I was rebelling. You know — not wanting to conform to what the family wants for you.” Funny how some things don’t change, he almost added.

“Where did you serve?”

“Oh, you know…” He motioned around, summing up thousands of miles and ten years with a wave of his hand. “Mali. Burkina Faso. The Middle East.” He fingered the scar on his abdomen, then brightened. “We also had some joint training operations in Martinique.”

Her expression oozed sorrow, and he could just about read her mind. Gemma probably thought he was suffering from a bizarre case of PTSD in which he transformed human enemies into dragons, lions, and wolves.

He changed the subject. “What about you?”

She shook her head. “I decided against joining the Foreign Legion.”

For a moment, he stared, then burst out laughing. “You got me there.”

She smiled one of those starburst smiles that warmed him from the inside. “No military. I did fence, though.” She swiped a wrist expertly, and he pictured a sword flashing.

“That might come in handy.”

“What? Against dragons — or strange men who follow me around?”

He chuckled. “Touché, fair lady. Touché.”


Check prices before you buy.