Title: The Dark Ones
Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Release Date: Sept 20, 2015
SYNOPSIS
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.
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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
[Anita]
In Patti's Imagination Rating: 10/10
Amazon Rating: 5/5
And Rachel does it again. I don't think I have ever been disappointed when I've read a book of hers. To be honest I haven't read all of them, but I am working on it. Slowly.
Anyway, this is one of my favorite genres. Right up there with romance and suspense. I can't say that I love every paranormal book there is but I have a lot of favorite authors when it comes to them. I can safely say Rachel is definitely rulling that genre at the moment because I have enjoyed this book so much. I want to read the next and hope I don't have to wait a lot for it.
For anyone wondering if this book is worth picking up, yes it is. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't.
AUTHOR BIO
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
drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The
Bachelor.
She keeps her
home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves
to hear from readers!
Want to be kept
up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!
You can connect
with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group
Rachel's New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com.
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