DRUI CLAIMING - Jory Strong
Supernatural Bonds, Book 4
Ellora’s Cave - www.ellorascave.com
ISBN: 978-1-41991-697-7
April 2008
Erotic Paranormal Romance - ménage and M/M interaction  - Single Title
Rated: E-rotic

Florida and the realm of dragons - Present day

Marika is a Drui just reaching sexual maturity. The Drui are known for their healing abilities that can be used on both mortals and other supernaturals. Greatly valued for those abilities, they have also been hunted for them. Now Marika, who has just established her home in Florida, is in the grips of the need to secure her mate, or rather, her other mate. For the Drui are a multi-partner race and Tallis, a Sjen (guardian spirit) with some twists, is her first mate. Xanthus, a silver haired dragon with the darkest of eyes, seems to be her second and final mate, but dragons aren’t known for their sharing abilities, in fact they’re quite well known for never sharing. Is there any possible way that Marika can have both Xanthus and Tallis, or will she just have to accept the inevitable and say goodbye to Xanthus forever?

Well, before I tell you anything more about Marika, Tallis and Xanthus, I must say wow. You expect heat in a story with a dragon as a central character, but Tallis and Marika’s encounters have the ability to singe your fingers even without Xanthus; add him into the equation and it’s a full-fledged firestorm. DRUI CLAIMING will definitely keep your attention from the very first page when Marika says dragons are “trouble” in all caps. Marika is young for a Drui, but she knows what and who she wants. She enjoys walking the thin line between pleasure and pain and when she has two males with such definite possessive and dominant natures, that’s a very good thing. Tallis is bound to Marika by more than just their mating. Years ago she saved him from an attack and inadvertently tied him to both her, and the cat form he was in at the time, making him highly unusual for a Sjen. The Sjen are usually incorporeal, but Tallis spends his time in either cat form (any one he likes) or as a human appearing male. His instincts have been blended with those of the cat as well, making him more than willing to fight for his mate, whether to protect her, or to keep her for himself. He’s not sure that a dragon is the right choice for them, and he’s do his best to prevent the mating unless he can be convinced otherwise. Unbeknownst to Marika and Tallis, Xanthus is hiding some secrets of his own, and when they’re revealed, they could make their mating possible, then again, they also could force the trio to stay apart forever. Will Marika, Tallis and Xanthus forge an alliance that will last forever, or is their attraction meant to come to an end? To find out you’ll have to read DRUI CLAIMING.

The secondary characters are many in this book and most of them have been introduced in previous Supernatural Bonds stories (see Ellora’s Cave for a complete listing). Xanthus owes his allegiance to Severn, a dragon prince who is currently trying to cement ties with his human mate, Sophie (who is also one of Marika’s friends). Detective Storm O’Malley is becoming Marika’s friend, her help will become necessary when a certain ticked off “kitty” needs to be escorted to Marika’s side. Aislinn (half-elf) is the owner of Inner Magick, the store where Marika works, she’s also her good friend. There’s currently a hunt going on for the Dragon’s Cup (otherwise known as the Chalice of Eros), complications and danger arise throughout the story as the dragons and the fey, fight to have the Cup for their own. Morgana and Neryssa are two of the fey determined to possess the Cup.

Sometimes a series book is enjoyed quite well without its siblings, but in this case, I highly recommend that you at least read the third book in the series, SOPHIE’S DRAGON (April 2007), before reading DRUI CLAIMING as the stories run concurrently and the situation will be much clearer with the knowledge you’ll gain from that book. If heat is what you want, and you’ve been enticed at all to learn more about Marika, Tallis and Xanthus, then head on over to Ellora’s Cave and get your copy of Jory Strong’s latest incredible read, DRUI CLAIMING.

Lori Ann