My friend and fellow author, Selena Illyria, was kind enough to introduce me to her characters, Brent and Carissa, from her latest book, Dragon Ugly.
Me being me, I just had to find out a bit more about these two...but getting a dragon and wolf shifter to behave in public is worse than trying to herd a hundred angry cats...
I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I did!
Oh, and as a special treat, Selena has agreed to give away a copy of Dragon Ugly to one person who comments about the interview or excerpt (or both) between now (July 15th) and Wednesday (July 17th)!
The winner will be announced on Friday, July 19th.
Q
The Dragon's Lair is closed for the morning due to the cleaning crew trying to make things spotless for tonight's performance by The Snake. There's already people camped out, waiting in line to get in when the time comes. Getting past the fans had been like running a gauntlet, but the guy at the door had been expecting me.
Louisa directs me to the outdoor patio that's been set up for summer use before turning back to direct two of Brent's friends, Fletch and Tor, on making sure the bar is stocked and that everything is going according to plan. From my set at the table on the patio, I watch Brent and Carissa walk in, holding hands and smiling.
A red flush fills Brent's face and Carissa can't stop giggling. They settle down at my table on the outdoor patio. Selena Illyria trails in after them and takes a seat at the next table, as if determined to distance herself from the characters. She blushes then looks away several times, seeming uncomfortable.
While Brent and Carissa are whispering into each other's ears and shifting their chairs across from me, Se leans over and gestures toward me. "They've been doing the PDA thing all freaking morning. I try and get them to behave and Brent seems to take it as a green light to push the envelope. Carissa doesn't seem to mind too much, but I can tell her patience is wearing thin and she wants to get him home. ASAP."
Ah, a clear indication that this is going to be a quick and dirty (no pun intended) interview if I want to keep from shocking readers with...well, you know.
Once the couple had moved their chairs closer together and settled down, I jumped right into the questions.
Qwillia Rain: I can see you two have other things on your mind, so I promise this won't take long. I look first at Brent then Carissa. Describe your favorite pair of shoes. Why are they your favorite?
Brent: My brand new sneakers. They're so comfortable. Since I'm on my feet so much I need something that's not going to make me feel like I need to tear off my feet just to feel comfortable.
Carissa: My sexy black leather sandals with stiletto heels. I feel so sexy in them even if they are a pain to walk in sometimes.
Qwillia Rain: I look at Brent first. What's your favorite thing about Carissa?
Brent: I love that she's so supportive of me. That she wants me for me and not --he waggles his eyebrows at Carissa-- 'cause I'm so damn sexy.
Qwillia Rain: I turn to Carissa and grin. What's your favorite thing about Brent?
Carissa: she rolls her eyes at Brent I love that he's so comfortable in his skin and that he loves all of me and that he makes me feel beautiful even when I've had a bad day.
Qwillia Rain: I look at Brent again. What do you like least or scares you about Carissa?
Brent: That I may drive her away if I can't control my dragon fully.
Qwillia Rain: And you Carissa? What do you like least or scares you about Brent?
Carissa: That he might lose interest in me because I might not be as beautiful as some of the women that he encounters on his job.
Brent reached over and squeezed Carissa's hand.
Brent: You're my mate, baby. No one else will ever lift me up, keep me grounded and love me like you do.
Carissa wiped away a tea and sniffled before regaining her composure.
Qwillia Rain: I hide my smile and make sure neither of them notice my quiet sigh..this is why I love romance! Ladies first this time. Carissa, describe what your job is and why you do it.
Carissa: I am part owner of an aromatherapy boutique called Scentify.
Brent: beaming with pride Which is awesome. You should try their relaxation kit. Ah, best night of sleep I've had in weeks, well, not the best. I only sleep well when you're in bed with me. Brent grins widely at Carissa. Anyway, I'm a waiter at Dragon's Lair Pub/Restaurant and an investor in the Velvet Palace Sex Shop.
Across from me, Carissa squirms in her seat as Brent reaches over and caresses her thigh.
An exasperated groan comes from the table behind us. Se leans forward and snaps her fingers a few times.
Selena Illyria: Focus guys!
Qwillia Rain: I fight not to laugh and hurry on to the next question before things get too out of hand. Coffee, tea, soda...?
Brent: Huh? Oh, right, I've had to lower my java intake so I'd say tea.
Carissa: Coffee, can't live without it. No coffee then you'll really see what a werewolf bitch looks like in the morning.
Brent: a nervous chuckle slips free as he nods Yeah, you don't want to see that.
Qwillia Rain: I can see the heat in both Carissa and Brent's eyes and I'm sure there aren't many more questions I'll be getting answers to, so I quickly toss out the next one. What addiction can you not live without?
Brent: Swimming naked. Does that count as an addiction?
Qwillia Rain: I nod. Yep, I would say it does. Carissa stays quiet, so I turn the next question her direction. If your life were a book, what would you prefer the author not tell readers about?
Carissa: her cheeks darkening with a blush Not telling them about my mother's odd notions about my sex life.
A look passed between the couple and a soft thump signaled Se giving up and dropping her head to her table. As if I didn't exist or the world around them had disappeared, Brent and Carissa moved into each other's arms and I closed my notepad. Turning to Se, I patted her on the back. "Don't worry, Se. The hormone levels will drop. Eventually."
She looked at me then glanced at the couple behind us. Her eyes went wide before she turned back. "I need a drink."
From the noises behind me, I had to agree. Then I added, "And chocolate."
Keeping my eyes averted, I followed Se back into The Dragon's Lair and headed for the bar.
Get a better "read" on Brent's and Carissa's antics when you check out their story in Selena Illyria's book, Dragon Ugly from etopia press.
And don't forget to leave a comment about the interview or excerpt to be entered to win a copy of Dragon Ugly.
Title: Dragon Ugly
Author: Selena Illyria
Publisher: Etopia Press
Series: Dragon New Year, Book 2
ISBN: 9781939194473
Buy it here: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ARe
Blurb:
Can a dragon shifter give more than just hot sex?
After Brent's New Year's fling with his friends Fletcher and Tor -- and Tor's mate Louisa -- Brent is determined to find his own mate. His dragon wants him to find their mate, too, and if Brent doesn't find a way to locate her soon, his dragon will take matters into his own talons. And that could spell trouble.
Wolf shifter Carissa has no desire to live up to her wild musician mother and artistic father's vision of free love and sex parties. She's buried her sexual desires and focused on building up her aromatherapy store, Scentify, no distractions allowed. Until she meets Brent. The sexy dragon shifter makes her burn with suppressed need. The only problem? His dragon wants Carissa, too. And pursuing the dominant dragon would be playing with fire.
Giving in to his dragon saps Brent of his focus and energy. Things are turning ugly--dragon ugly. How can he bond with his mate when his dragon only wants sex?
Excerpt:
When he took the bud between his
teeth and sucked the aching tip into the warm, wetness of his mouth, she moaned
aloud. Sweet pleasure cascaded through her as he tugged, nipped, flicked her
nipple and the barbell that ran through it. With his free hand he worked her
other piercing, rolling the jewelry in its hole and tugging on it. Pain and
pleasure melted together in a red hot fire that filled her body. A ball of
tension began low in her belly, as her vaginal walls fluttered and clenched and
her pulse quickened.
Inarticulate sounds bounced off the
walls, echoing back at her with each tug and flick of his tongue. “Goddess, so
good. More. Please, harder. Brent, harder,” she growled out, her voice so
ragged, she didn’t recognize it.
She felt the wolf surge upward, as
raw animal desire filled her body. She needed more contact, more stimulation.
Carissa ran one hand down his back and slipped it between their
moisture-slickened bodies to push it between her legs. Her fingers delved
between her thickened folds to find her clit. She stroked the nub, rubbing it
with strong brushes as he continued to stimulate her nipples. Her pleasure
increased as she felt the backs of her fingers brush against his erect cock. An
idea of how to make this pleasurable for the both of them struck her and she
moved her fingers away and tipped her hips closer to him until her pussy
pressed against his erection.
She rocked her sex against his penis,
trying to stimulate them both. Ribbons of tension slipped outward, filling her
belly and wrapping around her growing orgasm. Delicious sensations surged
within her as his muffled grunts filled the air. She gasped and moaned as she
tried to claw closer to release. The wolf howled within, demanding more from
them both. She could feel the shift coming on her. Pain and desire seared along
her arms and legs. Her fingernails began to grow in sharp pangs until they’d
turned into claws. She reached out and held onto his waist, digging her nails
into his skin. The scent of blood mixed with the perfume of water and the bath
salts and sweat. Moisture misted her face and neck, and clouded her vision
until all she could do was close her eyes against the sting.
Her world view narrowed down to Brent
and the pressure that was growing through her body. The shift and tension
bounced her chest and coiled in her stomach as she continued to grind against
him. Pleasure turned to pain as her nipple became oversensitive, and Brent
transferred his attention to the other one. More, faster, harder—she wanted it
all. And yet she felt an emptiness in her womb. She wanted to feel that sweet
pain as his dick stretched her to accommodate his girth…but now was not the time.
For now, nothing mattered but climax.
The cliff approached closer and
closer with each move of her hips, until she could feel herself balancing right
on the edge.
“Brent,” she sobbed out. Carissa
wasn’t sure what else she could do. The aroma of water rushed up her nostrils
as the room temperature increased. She felt his hands grip her hips as she
rubbed his cock against her folds. Tingles ran up and down her legs, swirling
at the base of her back and racing up her spine. The buzz filled her head as
she dove deep into the pleasure. She felt the glide of his cock against her
clit, increasing the blaze. The flames filled every limb and wrapped around her
torso. Her body felt too small to contain the pressure that threatened to
burst.
The conflagration burst inside of
her, pulling her under. She howled in a long, loud sound that made the walls
shudder.
A roar followed her yowl and a wash
of warm brushed against her sex. Brent wrapped his arms around her as she
quaked against him. Stars burst behind her eyelids as she struggled to breathe.
Her mind was filled with a numbed blissful silence. She let out a sob as she
rested her head on his shoulder. Carissa could feel his heart pounding against
her chest in an echo of her own heart’s rapid pace.
“Goddess, that felt good,” Brent
rasped out.
All she could do was silently agree.
Carissa couldn’t even pick up her head to nod.
“Looks like we need another bath, or
perhaps we can do this again in the shower.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.
Carissa wasn’t even sure if she could
stand.
