by J. R. Ward
“Just do it in private. You have a reputation as a son of a bitch to uphold.”
He smirked a little. “What would the department think.”
“Exactly.” There was a stretch of silence. “I’d better go.”
He stared across the room at her. “God, it feels like you’re really here.”
“I’m not. This is just a dream.” She let herself start to fade as tears landed on her cheeks. “Bye, Manny, my dear friend.”
He lifted his hand and spoke through what was clearly a tight throat. “Come back and see me sometime.”
“Maybe.”
“Please.”
“We’ll see.”
Funny, though, as she dissipated, she had the oddest sense that she was going to see him again.
Yeah, it was weird. Just like that vision of the car accident as well as the feeling she’d had that she wasn’t going to be at St. Francis anymore, she knew that she and Manny Manello were going to cross paths once more.
The thought eased her. She hated leaving him behind. She really did.
Epilogue
One week later…
Vishous took the hot chocolate from the stove and turned the burner off. As he poured the cocoa into a mug, he heard a yelp and an, “Oh, my God!”
Across the mansion’s kitchen he saw Rhage standing halfway inside of Jane, as if she were a pool he’d waded into. The two of them leaped apart just as Vishous bared his teeth and growled at his brother.
Rhage held his hands up. “I didn’t see her! Honest!”
Jane laughed. “It’s not his fault. I wasn’t concentrating, so I faded—”
V cut her off. “Rhage is going to be more careful, aren’t you, my brother.”
The implication being either the male would be, or he’d end up in traction.
“Yeah, absolutely. Shit.”
“Glad you see it my way.” Vishous picked up the mug, took it to Jane, and handed it to her. As she blew across the surface, he kissed her on the neck. Then did a little nuzzling.
To him she was just as she always had felt, but to others she was a thing of a different sort. She wore clothes, but if she wasn’t keeping herself solid and someone bumped into her, the fabrics compressed like nothing was inside of them, and the person who was in her path basically stepped through her.
It was a little strange. Plus, if it happened to be one of his brothers, V’s territoriality got triggered like you read about. The thing was, though, this was the new reality, so everyone had to deal. He and Jane were both making the transition to her new situation, and it wasn’t always easy.
But who the fuck cared? They had each other.
“So you’re going to Safe Place today?” he asked her.
“Yeah, my first day at my new job. Can’t wait!” Jane’s eyes shone. “Then I’m coming back here to put in equipment orders for my clinic. I’ve decided to take on two doggen and train them as nurses. I think that’s the best thing to do for security purposes….”
As Jane talked about her plans for the Brotherhood’s clinic and what she was going to do for Safe Place, V started to smile.
“What?” she said. She glanced down at herself, brushed her white coat off, then looked behind her.
“Come here, female.” He pulled her up against him and dropped his head. “I mention lately how sexy your brain is?”
“You were mostly interested in something else this afternoon, so no.”
He laughed at her wry smile. “I was a little preoccupied, wasn’t I?”
“Mmm, yes.”
“I’m going to stop by Safe Place later, true?”
“Good. I think Marissa’s got a network problem she wanted to talk to you about.”
Without even being aware of doing it, he tucked her in close and just hugged her. This was exactly what he’d wanted, this intermingling of lives, this closeness, this common purpose. The two of them, together.
“Are you okay?” she said softly so no one else could hear.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.” He put his mouth next to her ear. “It’s just…I’m not used to this.”
“Used to what?”
“Feeling…shit, I don’t know.” He pulled back, all weirded out that he was so sappy. “Never mind…”
“You can’t get used to feeling like things are okay?”
He nodded because he didn’t trust his voice.
She put her hand on his face. “You’ll get used it. Just like I will.”
“Sire? I beg your pardon?”
V glanced over at Fritz. “Hey, my man, what’s doing?”
The doggen bowed. “I have what you asked for. I left it in the foyer.”
“Excellent. Thanks.” He kissed Jane. “So I’ll see you later?”
“Absolutely.”
He could feel her eyes on him as he left, and he liked it. He liked everything. He—
Well, shit. He was just full of the joys of spring, wasn’t he?
As he emerged into the foyer, he found what Fritz had left for him on the table by the foot of the grand staircase. At first he wasn’t sure quite how to handle the thing…he didn’t want to break it. In the end he held it gently in his hands and went into the library. He shut the double doors with his mind and sent a request to the Other Side.
Yeah, sure, he wasn’t following the rules of proper dress, but then, he was a little preoccupied with what was in his hands.
When permission was granted, he dematerialized to the Scribe Virgin’s courtyard and was greeted by the same Chosen as the last time he’d been there. Amalya began to bow, but looked up as a chirping sound came from his carefully cupped palms.
“What have you brought?” she whispered.
“Little present. Nothing much.” He walked over to the white tree with the white blossoms and opened his hands. The parakeet leaped free and took to a branch as if it knew that was its home now.
The brilliant yellow bird shuffled up and down the pale arm of the tree, its little feet gripping and releasing, gripping and releasing. It pecked at a blossom, let out a trill…brought a foot up and pedaled its neck.
V put his hands on his hips and measured how much space there was between all the blossoms on all the branches. He was going to have to bring over a shitload of birds.
The Chosen’s voice was rife with emotion. “She gave them up for you.”
“Yeah. And I’m bringing her new ones.”
“But the sacrifice—”
“Has been made. What’s going on this tree is a gift.” He looked over his shoulder. “I’m going to fill it up whether she likes it or not. It’s her choice what she does with them.”
The Chosen’s eyes gleamed with gratitude. “She will keep them. And they will keep her from her solitude.”
V took a deep breath. “Yeah. Good. Because…”
He let the word drift and the Chosen said gently, “You don’t have to say it.”
He cleared his throat. “So you’ll tell her they’re from me?”
“I won’t have to. Who else but her son would do such a kindness?”
Vishous glanced back at the lone yellow bird in the midst of the white tree. He pictured the branches filled once again.
“True,” he said.
Without another word he dematerialized back to the life he’d been given, the life he was leading…the life he now, and for the first time, was grateful he’d been born into.
Praise for J. R. Ward and her novels
“Now here’s a band of brothers who know how to show a girl a good time.” —Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Hide
Lover Unbound
“The newest in Ward’s ferociously popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series bears all the marks of a polished story-teller completely at home in her world. . . . This fix will give Brotherhood addicts a powerful rush.”—Publishers Weekly
“Loss, sacrifice, and darkness continue to be major themes as one of Ward’s most damaged heroes gets his story. Sex and violence make this t
ale of emotional redemption unusually graphic and powerful. Ward pulls no punches and delivers an extraordinary paranormal drama.”
—Romantic Times (Top Pick, 4½ stars)
“Ms. Ward provides nonstop action in a story that’s brimming with emotion, desire, and passionate romance. A great paranormal escape.” —Affaire de Coeur
“This book will grab at your heartstrings. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It might even make you angry. But know one thing—it will make you stand in awe at the writing ability of the very talented J. R. Ward. If I had a black dagger, it would be raised high in the air in salute of Ms. Ward for gifting us with such an exceptional story for such an exceptional brother.” —Romance Junkies
“J. R. Ward delivers another heartwrenching book assured to take your breath away. Just when you think this author cannot get any better, like a magician she is able to pull a book such as Lover Unbound out of her hat. The last hundred pages of this book will nearly cause you heart failure; this is one you definitely cannot miss. Very highly recommended. ” —MyShelf.com
“Lover Unbound is another winner and a perfect ten in this fabulous series. . . . It is a book you won’t want to put down once you begin. J. R. Ward is a wonderful storyteller—she has created a dark, fascinating imaginary world and makes it feel very real. I eagerly await her next book.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“J. R. Ward delivers yet again with 500+ pages of delicious Black Dagger Brotherhood goodness. Her books are like crack; you’ll be hooked instantly. . . . I loved Lover Unbound in all its testosterone-soaked, melodramatic, sexy glory. I’m already dying for the next one.” —Vampire Genre
Lover Revealed
“[T]hese erotic paranormals are well worth it, and frighteningly addictive. . . . It all works to great, page-turning effect. . . . In just two years, the . . . series [has] earned Ward an Anne Rice-style following, deservedly so.”
—Publishers Weekly
“It’s tough to keep raising the bar in a series, but the phenomenal Ward manages to do just that! From book one, human ex-cop Butch O’Neal has seemed like the odd man out in her vampire brotherhood, but in this amazing novel he definitely comes into his own. The world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to grow and become more layered, ramping up the tension, risk and passion. This is awesome stuff.” —Romantic Times (Top Pick, 4½ stars)
“[Ward’s] Black Dagger Brotherhood books are some of the most delicious guilty pleasures. No one writes emotion like Ms. Ward, and her books have a dark sensuality that is addictive. . . . These vampires are hot, and the series only gets hotter . . . so hot it gave me shivers.” —Vampire Genre
Lover Awakened
“[A] raw, gritty tour de force, creating an array of ugliness and beauty, pain and pleasure in a tale that sparks enough plot stunners to keep readers fascinated for years to come. Not for the faint of heart—strong sexuality and stronger language rule here—this genre-bending third novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series . . . is a perfect fit for those who like fast-paced urban fantasy rich in both fury and poignancy.” —Booklist (starred review)
"J. R. Ward’s unique band of brothers is to die for. I love this series!” —New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann
“When it comes to tormented heroes, few can top the dangerous and tortured Zsadist. In a change of pace, it’s the hero who has sexual issues, resulting from his violently abusive past as a blood slave. Both the hero and heroine have suffered greatly, but it’s Zsadist’s journey to self-acceptance that makes this book so compelling. Ward pulls no punches in this dark, dangerous, and at times tragic series. Waiting for successive installments is getting harder and harder.” —Romantic Times (Top Pick, 4½ stars)
“Best new series I’ve read in years! Tautly written, wickedly sexy, and just plain fun.” —Lisa Gardner
“Lover Awakened is utterly absorbing and deliciously erotic. I found myself turning pages faster and faster—and then I wished I hadn’t, because there was no more to read! The Brotherhood is the hottest collection of studs in romance, and I can’t wait for the next one!”
—Angela Knight, New York Times bestselling author of Master of Dragons
Lover Eternal
“Ward wields a commanding voice perfect for the genre. . . . Intriguing, adrenaline-pumping. . . . Like any good thrill ride, the pace changes with a tender story of survival and hope and leaves readers begging for more. Fans of L. A. Banks, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Sherrilyn Kenyon will add Ward to their must-read list.” —Booklist
"[A] fun ride.” —Monsters and Critics
“Extremely intense and emotionally powerful . . . colorful, dangerous and richly conceived. With both intricate plots and believable characters, [J. R. Ward] has penned a sure fire hit.” —Romantic Times (Top Pick, 4½ stars)
Dark Lover
“It’s not easy to find a new twist on the vampire myth, but Ward succeeds beautifully. This dark and compelling world is filled with enticing romance as well as perilous adventure. With myriad possibilities to choose from, the Black Dagger Brotherhood series promises tons of thrills and chills.”
—Romantic Times (Top Pick)
“A dynamite new vampire series—delicious, erotic, and thrilling! J. R. Ward has created a wonderful cast of characters, with a sexy, tormented, to-die-for hero. . . . A fabulous treat for romance readers!”
—Nicole Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of Touch Me with Fire
“J. R. Ward has a great style of writing, and she shines. . . . You will lose yourself in this world; it is different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing . . . If you read only one paranormal this year, make it Dark Lover.”
—All About Romance
“An awesome, instantly addictive debut novel. It’s a midnight whirlwind of dangerous characters and mesmerizing erotic romance. The Black Dagger Brotherhood owns me now. Dark fantasy lovers, you just got served.”
—Lynn Viehl, USA Today bestselling author of Evermore
SIGNET
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Copyright © Jessica Bird, 2008
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Dedicated to: You.
You were a total gentleman and a relief.
And I believe that joy becomes you—
you most certainly deserve it.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND PROPER NOUNS
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
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four