Fire Maidens: Portugal Read online

  Fire Maidens: Portugal

  Billionaires & Bodyguards

  by

  Anna Lowe

  Book 4

  Fire Maidens: Portugal

  Copyright © 2020 by Anna Lowe

  [email protected]

  Editing by Lisa A. Hollett

  Proofreading by Donna Hokanson

  Cover art by Kim Killion

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental.

  Sincere thanks to my team of star beta readers who once again took time to make a good story great. Colleen, Jen, Linda, Cindy, Renee, and Beth — thank you all so much!

  Other books in this series

  Fire Maidens - Billionaires & Bodyguards

  Fire Maidens: Paris (Book 1)

  Fire Maidens: London (Book 2)

  Fire Maidens: Rome (Book 3)

  Fire Maidens: Portugal (Book 4)

  Fire Maidens: Ireland (Book 5)

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  Contents

  Other books in this series

  Fire Maidens: Portugal

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Sneak Peek — Fire Maidens: Ireland

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  Fire Maidens: Portugal

  For centuries, the Guardians of Lisbon have kept shifter forces in check — dragons, vampires, and witches. Now, with their powers dwindling, they’re too busy to respond to a lone woman’s cry for help.

  Novice dragon, Laura Sampao, always knew her family descended from dragon shifters, but that power — or curse — hadn’t manifested itself in generations. She thought it would never happen to her.

  Wrong.

  Now, vampires are after her blood, and her last hope is a mysterious, jaded warrior who saves her from a brutal attack. But that’s just the prelude to a far greater danger, giving her no choice but to trust the infuriatingly gruff, handsome stranger who awakens all kinds of hidden desires.

  Marco da Silva, heir to an ancient dragon dynasty, has been burned by damsels in distress before, and he’s determined not to get involved. But somehow, he just can’t resist. Before he knows it, he’s spiriting Laura off to his private island hideaway with his inner dragon vowing to keep her safe.

  Why? Because his heart isn’t the only reckless force stirring in the shifter world — powerful enemies are on the move too, and they’ll stop at nothing to seize Laura — and take control of an entire continent.

  Chapter One

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  * * *

  The trolley rattled along the streets of Lisbon at a snail’s pace, but Laura’s heart raced. The bell jingled merrily, and passengers leaned out to admire the views. Nighttime floodlights illuminated Lisbon’s landmarks — the castle, the churches, and the grand Praça do Comércio. But for Laura, everything beyond the window was a blur. All she focused on was a reflection in the glass.

  That man two seats back was still staring at her. The man who’d been following her for at least an hour.

  Laura bit her lip. Not a man — a vampire. She was sure of it. What other creature had fangs like that? The thing was, nobody seemed to notice but her.

  She gripped the handrail harder, willing her hands not to shake. She’d only received a brief crash course in the terrifying world of supernaturals before leaving North America, and all she’d learned about vampires was to steer clear.

  Cuidado com os carteiristas, a sign near the trolley driver warned in several languages, though Laura had grown up speaking Portuguese. Beware of pickpockets. Laura snorted. Her purse wasn’t at risk. Just her life.

  Her skin itched, and the beast within her growled.

  Don’t forget you have me.

  She gripped the handrail even more tightly, wishing she could forget.

  Her hands trembled. All her life, she’d known there was dragon shifter blood in her family. As a child, she’d even witnessed a great-great-aunt shift and belch fire. But that gift — or curse — had skipped every member of the family born in the past ninety years. And, like the rest of her relatives, Laura had assumed that was it. Generations of interbreeding with humans had rendered their dragon blood too weak to lend anyone the ability to shift, let alone breathe fire. Now, all the family had left were stories and legends.

  Or so she thought. But one horrifying night five weeks earlier, everything changed. Starting with her body. Ever since, she’d been desperately looking for help.

  The trolley rumbled around a tight bend, making Laura bump against the woman beside her. She had to get out, and soon. The vampire was inching closer with every stop, and if she didn’t make a quick exit…

  At the next stop, she leaped out at the last possible second. Hitting the ground running, she sprinted up a side street. Music blared from a local bar, and the dance crowd spilled onto the sidewalk. Laura wove between them, catching whiffs of alcohol and perfume as the music thumped in her ears. A glance over her shoulder confirmed the vampire was still after her — and worse, he was motioning to a second man.

  Get to high ground, her inner dragon whisper-screamed.

  For weeks, she’d been trying to ignore that second side of herself. But now, it seemed like her only chance.

  She turned left, then right, hoping she was correct. Having only been in Lisbon a few days, she hadn’t yet memorized the city’s layout. Then her heart leaped in hope. There it was! The funicular that angled up the steep hill to Barrio Alto, Lisbon’s upper town.

  Then she cursed, spotting the long line for the funicular. Now what?

  Fly, her dragon side demanded.

  Laura snorted. The few, rushed flying lessons she’d received before coming to Lisbon had barely seen her through a beginner’s stage. She needed an open, sloping area to take off, and her flight pattern was about as graceful as a barnyard chicken’s. Reading wind patterns seemed like a dark science, and if riding thermals was an art — well, she was no artist. Then there was landing, in which the only thing guaranteed were bumps and bruises.

  So, no. She was not going to fly. Instead, she hoofed it up the narrow footpath paralleling the funicular’s steep rails.

  Too slow, that damned dragon complained.

  Hey! I am not slow.

  She’d been biking, running, and playing soccer for as long a
s she could remember. That kept her fit and fast.

  As long as you’re on the ground, you’re too slow, that inner voice griped.

  Laura pumped her arms, focusing on the lumpy cobblestones underfoot. She raced through dim pools of light cast by old-fashioned street lamps and the dark voids between. Meanwhile, footsteps slapped the cobblestones behind her.

  “Idiota. Get her already,” one of the men hissed at the other.

  “I will if you get out of the way,” the other replied.

  A pair of happy drunks hung out the sides of the funicular, laughing and cheering Laura on.

  “Corra, querida! Corra!” Run, baby! Run!

  Were they too drunk to notice the men chasing her?

  She glanced back, relieved to discover she’d gained some ground. But that hill was a long one.

  So, power up. Now.

  She did her best to pretend it was just another weekend fun run and not a race for her life. Her heart pounded and her quads burned, but she had to keep going.

  Finally, she crested the top of the hill and turned right. The sidewalk divided, with the fork to the left clogged by pedestrians. Laura shot right, sprinting through a leafy park. But just as she hit a long, steady stride, she screeched to a halt.

  “God, no.”

  She stared down a sudden drop-off. Baixa, the lower part of Lisbon, spread before her like a rug. It was a beautiful view, but damn. She’d sprinted into a dead end.

  Footsteps sounded behind her, and she whirled.

  “Well, well.” A tall, lean man stalked up, flashing his fangs.

  “Leave me alone.” She bared her own laughably small teeth, doing her best to look intimidating. She was a dragon shifter, right?

  Finally, you admit it, that inner voice grumbled.

  She frowned. A dragon shifter with zero experience. Great.

  The second man ran up beside the first, boxing her in. He smiled, flashing a row of pearly, perfect teeth, and let his eyes rove over her body. “Finally, we get a chance at the new girl in town.”

  She inched backward, but there was nowhere to go.

  “Stay away!”

  “But, amada. A prize like you…”

  Run! her human instincts yelled.

  But there was nowhere to run, only to fly, and she could already feel her arms elongating.

  Fly, her inner dragon insisted. Fly.

  Laura gulped. Here? Now?

  Yes, now. Fly!

  She considered her options, but there weren’t any. Not with the two men advancing on her. In the darkness, no passersby seemed to notice, and she couldn’t bring herself to yell for help. Not if that meant drawing an innocent bystander into a vampire attack.

  “Oh, this will be fun.” The man on the right flashed his fangs.

  Laura whirled, staring down the rocky cliff.

  That sheer drop… All those rooftops so many stories below…

  She couldn’t do it. She just couldn’t.

  But then an icy hand reached for her neck, and she jerked away. The gem hanging around her neck warmed, and she found the courage to vault onto the waist-high wall. With a gulp, she spread her arms, trying to recall what little she’d learned.

  Fly, her inner dragon yelled.

  Fingers clutched at the back of her shirt.

  “Got you!” the vampire announced.

  Laura kicked backward and heard a satisfying grunt. Then she leaped forward, over the edge of the cliff.

  Oh God. Oh God. Oh God…

  Wind whipped tears from her eyes as she plummeted, frozen in terror. The rocky face of the cliff rushed past, along with the blur of vines and leaves. She squeezed her eyes shut to spare herself a view of her own death. Would she smash into a sidewalk or splat against a rooftop? Worse, would she impale herself on a church spire?

  Oh, for goodness’ sake, that inner voice muttered.

  Her elbows snapped outward, and her fingers splayed. Webbing stretched between them, and her whole body ached.

  It’s better than smashing into the ground, her dragon pointed out.

  At first, the wind whistled in her ears, but that faded to a strangely comforting silence. Plummeting to her death was taking longer than expected, so Laura peeked through one eye. Then the other popped open, because wow. The rooftops of Baixa weren’t zooming any closer.

  I’m flying! she cheered. I did it!

  No, I’m flying, her dragon drolled.

  Laura blinked at her sleek, brownish-gold body. Her familiar human form was gone, and for once, she didn’t mind. Not if shifting helped her get away.

  But would it? She peeked back, only to cry out in fear.

  The vampire stood at the cliff’s edge, stymied. But the second man ripped off his shirt, stepped to the safety wall, and transformed into a dragon.

  “Get her,” the vampire cheered to his friend.

  With one powerful leap, the dragon launched and rocketed after her, his deep voice booming in her mind.

  I told you this would be fun.

  Chapter Two

  Laura soared over Lisbon. Not crashing was a good start, but yikes. She preferred the view from ground level. Lisbon’s sidewalks were decorated in beautiful black-and-white cobblestones, but the wave patterns of the Rossio, Lisbon’s magnificent central square, gave her vertigo. Rooftops flashed beneath her, some so close, she had to suck in her belly to avoid hitting antennas sticking out like barbs.

  At least none of the pedestrians out for an evening stroll looked up. It was as if a powerful spell lay over the city, hiding supernaturals from human eyes.

  The ruby at her neck warmed. Did it have some kind of magic spell on it, too? Sometimes, it shone like a star, and it always shifted with her.

  She glanced back and yelped — twice. Once because that dragon was hot on her heels, and a second time when the motion made her careen to one side.

  Cut that out, her dragon ordered, steadying out again. Just leave this to me.

  Without warning, it hung a hard right and swooped over the Rua Augusta, the central avenue.

  The male dragon behind her chuckled, and the sound echoed through her mind.

  “Not so fast, amada.”

  “I am not your sweetheart,” she snarled.

  “Oh, but you will be. How about I give you a tour of town before getting you back to my place?”

  Somehow, her mind was able to translate his guttural, dragon coughs, and she blanched. Was his place a dark, dank cave somewhere along the Atlantic coast? And when he got her there, did he intend to rape her or roast her with his vile breath?

  She beat her wings, determined to get away. But the greenish-brown dragon kept gaining on her — and worse, encroaching into her air space.

  “Hey!” she yelped, though it came out as a growl.

  He chuckled, forcing her lower and lower. So low, she was hurtling down the main avenue with her wingtips practically brushing the buildings on either side. The tiniest bobble in either direction would send her into a lethal crash.

  “Watch out, amada,” the male cackled.

  A set of power lines loomed ahead, cutting across her flight path.

  Laura screamed and ducked, clearing them by an inch.

  Only a handful of people glanced up, and those who did focused in the wrong direction. Then they shook their heads and strolled on.

  The dragon chasing her flashed his pearly teeth. “You’ve got some nice moves. Why don’t you come with me and put them to good use?”

  If he’d been a heckler on a crowded city street, she would have given him a piece of her mind. But as a dragon, well… No middle finger, for one thing, just a leathery protrusion on the end of her wing. No morally upright citizens around to help either.

  Instead, she growled and flew on — only to yelp once more. A massive triumphal arch blocked off the end of the avenue — a structure designed to direct pedestrians and cars from town to the wide-open Praça do Comércio at the river’s edge. There was no way her dragon body would fit through any of
the three narrow archways. And with the male dragon blocking her from above, preventing her from flying over the structure…

  She paled. Now what?

  Watch, her inner dragon murmured.

  A vision of what the beast planned flashed through her mind, and she shook her head. No way.

  Trust me, her dragon insisted.

  Before she had a chance to protest, her dragon rolled sideways, with one wingtip up and the other straight down.

  “Get out of the way!” Laura yelled at pedestrians strolling toward the arch. “Duck!”

  But they didn’t hear, and they certainly didn’t duck. They just clutched at billowing jackets and hurried after hats tumbled away on a burst of wind.

  Laura screamed her way through the arch. Then, whoosh! She hurtled through and, an instant later, leveled out.

  See? Plenty of space, her dragon sniffed, though it sounded a little shaky.

  That had been a hell of a close call, and her troubles weren’t over, because the male dragon was still in hot pursuit.

  “I like your moves. Still, you look like you could use some lessons. Come with me and I’ll teach you everything you need to know — and not just about flying.”

  Laura raced out over the river, attempting a few sharp turns to throw him off. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t shake the bigger, faster, and more experienced dragon. It was only a matter of time before…before…

  She gulped, trying not to picture her fate.

  Desperately, she swung right and followed the river toward the sea. The Tigus glittered below, and lights sparkled from the suspension bridge ahead. On a hillside on the south bank, spotlights illuminated a statue of Jesus — a near double of the one in Rio de Janeiro. Then came the crenelated Tower of Belem, a centuries-old structure that had once ushered great explorers out to sea.

  But she wasn’t a great explorer. She was just her, and somehow, she had to find someplace safe.