From the draft, the intro to Doctor Wolf. My internet connection keeps dropping out, which is hugely frustrating. You’d think it would help me focus on writing — you know, no internet — instead, until I get it fixed, I’m going quietly crazy. If I don’t respond for a bit to a comment, my internet woes are the reason. *rolls up sleeves* Time to phone the internet provider *sigh*

***

The advantage to growing up as the granddaughter of the Earl of Beo was that you knew all the hiding places in the earl’s London mansion. Liz Jekyll ducked behind the peach brocade curtains in the drawing room and sighed with relief. One determined male dodged. Ninety nine to go. She took a sip of champagne.

A hand pulled back the curtain.

Liz slowly lowered the champagne glass. She looked up—and that was a novelty because she was tall and wearing four inch heels.

Carson Erving looked back at her.

“Oh, it’s you.” She slumped against the wall. “Thank God.”

“That’s what my mama says each time I come home safe.” The low Alabama drawl sounded amused.

“I’m sure she does,” Liz replied. Carson was a botanist explorer, renowned for the remote and dangerous places he visited on the hunt for rare plants. Just now, though, he was a visiting scholar-in-residence at Kew Gardens. Ostensibly, he was writing a book about his last expedition when he’d trekked the length of the Carpathian Mountains. However, Liz had her doubts about the veracity of that story. Carson and her adventurous grandfather were too chummy for Carson to be merely writing a book. He was up to something.

Of course, that hint of danger and mystery just made him more appealing to Liz—or would have if she could have afforded to get involved with any man at this point. Which reminded her…“Can you see Brandon?”

Doctor Wolf is out April 27. Dragon Knight is available now!