Redmagic — Crawford Kilian

BLOODMAGIC
The wizard Calindor and his bride had journeyed far from home, studying dragons, magic, and various subjects appropriate to those newly wed. But their voyage of discovery ended abruptly when a sea monster rose up out of the salty deep and dropped a strange, red-haired girl onto the deck of their boat.
The girl was a refugee, fleeing conquering armies from the desert southland. Thus did Calindor's people first learn of the Exteca invaders, a force that was proving unstoppable. Their soldiers were efficient and totally dedicated. Mammoth, tusked beasts bore them into battle. And their magicians wielded a daunting magic, one that drew directly on the scalding power of living blood.
The Exteca coveted the cool and fertile northern lands, and their Gods thirsted for the taste of foreign souls. Calindor's greenmagic could not turn back the tide. And the enemy empire would stop at nothing--to seize his powers for their own!