The Dark Ones
Release Date: Sept 20, 2015
BLURB
To touch a Dark One is death.
To talk to an immortal is suicide.
Yet, I've been marked by both.
A Vampire.
And the King of the immortals.
My life is no longer my own.
And now I know the truth, my life was never
mine to begin with.
It was theirs.
It's always been theirs.
Amazon US : http://amzn.to/1L23hsY
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EXCERPT:
I
still tasted her blood on my lips, was embarrassed for the first time in a
century when Alex glanced up from his spot at the kitchen table to see me
licking my lips like I'd just devoured the poor girl.
He
shook his head. "Been that long, huh?"
"Alex…"
I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. "…remind me why I let you live
here?"
"I'm
good-looking," he answered simply. "Besides, I'm a hell of a fighter
— scrappy, I think is how you define my kind. You need me."
"Stop."
I pressed my fingertips to my temples and rubbed. The ache to have her had
consumed me so much that I'd run down the stairs moving so fast I'd nearly
collided with a wall, and grabbed blood from the fridge.
I
didn't need it.
But
I craved it.
And
if I didn't drink the donated blood, I sure as hell was going to drain her and
enjoyed very last drop.
"I
wonder…" Alex's voice pierced my thoughts. "What's it
like?" He leaned forward. "Having to learn self-control all over
again… being as ancient as you are?"
I
ignored him.
He
kept talking.
"Blood-free
for a century and now…" He grinned and licked his lips. "Kind of like
falling off the wagon, yeah?"
"You're
giving me a headache." I threw the empty bag of blood at his face. He
moved to the side and snickered. "And I'm fine. Everything is just—"
Her
smell was intoxicating. She was walking down the stairs, so her heart picked up
speed, her body giving off a scent of burnt vanilla and oranges with a hint of
sugar. My mouth literally watered.
"Fine?"
Alex said in a mocking voice. "Was that what you were going to say? Damn,
man show a little decorum, you look… starved."
"I
am," I whispered and fought the urge to rock back and forth. That was the
problem with mating — with bonding. Nothing tasted like her, nothing ever
would, and typically, having her as my mate gave me full access.
But
the more I took…
The
stronger the bond.
And
the more I wanted…
It
was a vicious overwhelming cycle. It would lead me to become emotionally
invested while she, as a human, could simply pretend.
It
wasn't fair.
Immortals,
in essence, were cursed with a deep desire to be like a human — to possess
them, to bond with them forever — while humans only felt the same draw to us if
they actually loved us.
Ridiculous.
"Oh,
there you are." Stephanie pushed Genesis forward and pulled out a chair.
Slowly,
Genesis took a seat and glared at each one of us. "Where's Mason?"
It
shouldn't have pissed me off.
But
it had.
"He's
none of your concern," I spat.
"Easy!"
Alex chuckled. "Rule number one, don't ask your mate where the other dude
is. Just… don't."
Genesis
blinked at Alex then back at me. "Because you guys have the capacity for
jealousy."
Alex
whistled while Stephanie laughed.
Immortals
were the most jealous beings on the planet. Had her school taught her nothing?
Was
I to be her tutor as well?
"So…"
Alex trained his eyes on her, putting her at as much ease as he could without
stopping her poor heart. "Now that the mating is complete, you get to
learn all about us and service your man here." He slapped my back.
Really.
Really. Poor choice of words.
Genesis
paled.
I
rolled my eyes. "He's kidding."
Alex
laughed. "I think it needs to be said that having a human at the house has
already helped my mood immensely."
"That
makes one of you," Genesis said under her breath.
Alex
leaned forward and whispered, "Ethan, try not to be so grouchy. Keep the
fangs in and all."
I
extended them just to prove a point.
Genesis
recoiled.
I
instantly felt guilty.
Damn
it.
"You
won't…" I licked my lips. "You won't have to service me, as Alex so
delicately put it."
"Is
that what mates do?" Genesis asked, her eyes searching mine.
"They…" She lifted her hands into the air and dropped them.
"If
that's what you think they do, we have a very big problem." Alex mimicked
her movements and winked.
She
blushed.
I
hissed at him and returned my attention to her. "It's like a human
relationship, only stronger. You'll attend functions with me, be by my side, at
my beck and call for as long as you live."
I
didn't want to say until one day she just didn't wake up. It sounded too cruel.
"And
when I'm bored out of my mind… I do what?" She crossed her arms. "I
mean, what could you possibly need from me?"
"Adorable."
Alex sighed happily. "I'm so glad we kept her."
"Alex…"
I was two seconds away from slamming him into the nearest wall. "Make
yourself useful and find our human a snack."
"I'm
not a pet!" Genesis yelled. "And I'm not your human!"
"You
are," I yelled right back, "mine!"
"Kids."
Stephanie stepped between us.
I
didn't even realize I'd gotten out of the chair and was towering over her,
fangs out, hands raised. She'd turned me into a monster. And still, my eyes
found her erratic pulse. One more taste…
"Ethan—"
Stephanie pushed against my chest. I didn't move. "Ethan!"
"Friend…"
Mason walked into the room. "Sit your ass down before she hands it to
you."
"Like
she could!" I roared.
"Like
I have!" Stephanie pushed me again. "Don't tempt me… again."
I
sat, while Mason made his way over to Genesis and offered an easy smile. The
man had nothing to smile about, yet he was smiling — at my mate.
I
growled.
Mason
gave me the finger and kept his attention trained on Genesis. "How do you
feel?"
"Better."
She returned his smile and squeezed his outstretched hand. "Thanks for
not… killing me when I asked."
"Damn…"
Alex said from the kitchen.
"You
were in pain." Mason shrugged. "And I'm glad you're alright."
"She's
fine. We're fine. Everything's fine," I said through clenched teeth.
"Now it's probably time to give her answers before she thinks she can run
off and actually survive in the real world without being hunted by a Dark One,
or worse, found by Cassius."
"He
isn't all bad," Stephanie said defensively.
We
all glared at her.
"What?"
She lifted her hands into the air. "I'm just saying he's been trying as
hard as we have. So what if he's gotten a bit possessive over the last few
numbers that have been called."
Alex
slammed his fist onto the table. "He stole Ethan's—"
"Enough."
I held up my hand. The pain in my chest grew until it was hard to breathe. I
knew what would take that pain away.
Genesis.
But
I was too angry to ask for it. Too ashamed to fall to my knees in front of a
mere mortal and beg for her to end the pain by allowing me one solitary drop of
her blood.
As
if on cue, another bag of blood hit me in the head.
Alex
must have sensed my mood.
I
bit into it and looked away from Genesis's horrified expression.
Review By Angela
5 Stars
Wow oh wow, now it's been a while since I have read any paranormal type books and I'll admit I was a little afraid reading this that I wasn't going to like. Well that wasn't the case at all! I freaking LOVED it....I got sucked in from the first page and realized how much I really enjoy this genre, when writer well and this was fantastic. But then as I've said again and again what book isn't that Rachel writes. I'm huge fan of her work and seriously if you haven't anything yet your missing. Thanks again for taking me another journey through your writing. Can't wait for book 2
*was given an arc in exchange for an honest review*
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/8l7hP
5 Stars
Wow oh wow, now it's been a while since I have read any paranormal type books and I'll admit I was a little afraid reading this that I wasn't going to like. Well that wasn't the case at all! I freaking LOVED it....I got sucked in from the first page and realized how much I really enjoy this genre, when writer well and this was fantastic. But then as I've said again and again what book isn't that Rachel writes. I'm huge fan of her work and seriously if you haven't anything yet your missing. Thanks again for taking me another journey through your writing. Can't wait for book 2
*was given an arc in exchange for an honest review*
ABOUT RACHEL VAN DYKEN:
Rachel Van Dyken
is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of
regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her
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Bachelor.
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