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.
My Thoughts:
Not even gonna lie, at first I didn't think I would like this book, but it's Rachel van Dyken and I love everything she writes. I was not let down! This book is addictive and I was hooked before the end of the first chapter. I loved every single character in this book. Even Cassius, who redeemed himself towards the end. It's definitely a paranormal romance, but it's amazing. The immortals haven't called a number up in over 50 years, but the humans that mate with immortals keep dying and the only way they can think to set the balance back is fulfilling the a prophecy and that prophecy lies within a mortal girl named, Genesis. All her life her mother has told her that she was nothing and that she's ugly. Everything she thought she knew about the immortals was a lie. I can't wait to read Cassius's story next.
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dark-ones-rachel-van-dyken/1122037625?ean=2940151940955
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/546999
ABOUT RACHEL VAN DYKEN:
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Links:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Van-Dyken/e/B0054TW5AA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1407369649&sr=8-2-ent
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.
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