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    Dark Needs at Night's Edge
    Dark Needs at Night's Edge
    Dark Needs at Night's Edge
    Ebook507 pages7 hours

    Dark Needs at Night's Edge

    By Kresley Cole

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Kresley Cole continues her seductive and “devilishly passionate” (RT Book Reviews) Immortals After Dark series with this tale of a vampire shunned by his own kind and a beautiful phantom, bound together by a passion they cannot resist.

    Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers—until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying than Néomi herself.

    To prevent him from harming others, vampire warrior Conrad Wroth’s brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.

    Yet even if Conrad can win Néomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPocket Books
    Release dateApr 29, 2008
    ISBN9781416565567
    Author

    Kresley Cole

    Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into over twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the US and abroad. Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. She lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals,” and spends any free time traveling. You can learn more about her and her work at KresleyCole.com or Facebook.com/KresleyCole.

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    Reviews for Dark Needs at Night's Edge

    4.5/5

    125 ratings37 reviews

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    • 4/5
      4.5 stars

      I had reservations when I started this book since Neomi was a ghost. I'm not a big fan of ghost romances, but Ms. Cole did a great job getting me to care about Conrad and Neomi. I thought they had wonderful chemistry and I loved the slow buildup between the two. I liked how well matched they were and how both of them needed healing. I did wonder how they would have their HEA and while I was a tad bit disappointed, this was a great read and a wonderful addition to this series.
    • 5/5
      There are a lot of different takes on vampires and I must say that this is one of my favorites. This book caught my attention from the beginning and held it until the very end. Kresley is an amazing writer and after reading this book, I can hardly wait to go back and read the series from the beginning. There were many twists in the story and couldn't wait to see whether two starcrossed lovers would get their chance at happiness. Here's to the start of happy journeys and love finding a way to flourish despite the odds!
    • 5/5
      Oh, this was simply amazing. I can't get past the fact that this started as a love story between a condemned vampire and a ghost and they had one of the most sensual scenes I have ever read between two people. There were so many plot twists and curve balls that I didn't get a sense of where their story was going.

      Again with the awesome writing, character development and world building. I am so I credibly excited to see where the bid picture leads.
    • 5/5
      On a fateful night a hundred years ago, famous ballerina Neomi Laress became a ghost at the hands of a spurned lover. Existing all these years since, invisible to all around her, imagine her surprise when a brutal immortal madman abandoned in the beloved mansion she calls home becomes the only living being to see her.Tormented and alone Conrad Wroth has become the very thing he fought against all those years ago when he was human- a renegade vampire. But now that they've found him, his brothers will stop at nothing to bring him back from the edge of insanity. When he begins seeing a phantom in the home they've chained him up in, Conrad's sure he's completely given over to the madness that every vampire encounters when ingesting the blood of the evil. But oddly enough the beautiful ghost brings a clarity that Conrad hasn't felt for eons.Passion draws them ever closer and when the once cold hearted vampire sees the torment that Neomi must endure every full moon- he discovers that there is indeed something that he cares for more than death.But when a powerful witch of the Lore discovers a way to make her flesh and blood, Neomi keeps from the man she's fallen for the one truth that could finally bring him to his knees. Will their love conquer the danger surrounding them or will Conrad finally give over to the fallen creature that he's always known he would become.Another great book in Cole's IAD series- she writes tormented heroes like no other. I wasn't sure how she was gonna pull Conrad back from the creature of evil he nurtured for so long, but she managed it. Sizzling passion and wonderful characters populate this series and Conrad and Neomi's story is every bit the page turner as the previous books.
    • 5/5
      Excelente historia, debo decir que no esperaba que fueran en orden. Lo cual no importa porque todas terminan. Solo que entre los capítulos se puede leer el inicio de los otros. Me gustaría saber mas de Nix.. Por favor y su pareja
    • 3/5
      Well, I can't say that I remember a lot from the previous books. I am even not sure who is with whom but fortunately it doesn't matter.

      I generally enjoyed this book but not as much as some of the previous ones. I just couldn't really get into it. And I'm not really sure what is the problem because I liked the main characters, Neomi and Conrad. The whole story isn't boring, so I don't see the reason for my problems.

      Neomi was once a famous ballerina but she was murdered by her ex-fiancé. Now she is a ghost closed in her beloved house for eternity with no chance for anyone to see her. That is until the Wroth brothers decide to imprison in her house their long lost brother Conrad. Conrad gave up to the blood madness but his brothers believe that he can be saved. Surprisingly, the mad vampire is the only person that is able to actually see Neomi.

      So, the plot is not a problem, really. Never mind, I will definitely read the next book in this series, even though probably not now.
    • 3/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.I strongly suspected that this installment was going to be a miss for me because ghost romances are a personal pet peeve of mine, but I’m listening to this series in order, and it was next up on my to-do list. Kresley Cole’s writing and Robert Petkoff’s narration were by no means at fault here; I still enjoyed many of the secondary elements of this story, the most noteworthy of which being Nix’s dialogue and the author’s phone sex style approach to the earlier love scenes was as erotic as it sounds.Spooks have their place in paranormal fiction such as hauntings, or sidekicks, my difficulty with them lies in their feasibility as happily-ever-after candidates. There are really only two possible scenarios in this type of situation, and that is for either the deceased half of the couple to be revived by magical means, or for the living partner to join their beloved in the beyond. Option two is kind of a downer, so authors tend to ostracize it in favour of the former which essentially means that a character will be brought back to life thus breaking one of my top three hard no-no rules. Again, this is an individual preference.Docking an audiobook two stars for the above seems pretty harsh which is why my quibbles with DARK NEEDS AT A NIGHT’S EDGE do not end there. Initially I liked Conrad’s character; he was edgy, on the cusp of madness, and cutthroat to the extreme. Néomi for her part didn’t make much of an impression on me; she was moody, superficial, and rather boring to be honest. Their relationship was comprised of numerous long winded discussions, stop-and-starts, and overall they just lacked chemistry. I enjoyed the other two Wroth brothers, Bowen, Cadeon & Rydstrom’s brief cameos, and as usual the Soothsayer bits were a slam dunk.I thanked my lucky stars that Robert Petkoff’s narration was there to see my through book 4 because without him I would have been in real danger of giving up on this installment. His transition from present to past tense as he followed Conrad’s progression from insanity to lucidity was a stroke of genius in both its delivery, and Cole’s writing technique. Petkoff stayed true to the French language with his accent, and pronunciations while also conveying Néomi’s coquettish femininity which demonstrated great range considering his aptitude with the bestial alpha males of this series.My issues with DARK NEEDS AT A NIGHT’S EDGE were wholly my own, so what was only an average listen for me could be, and is an extraordinary addition to the IMMORTALS AFTER DARK franchise for the masses.
    • 5/5
      Loved it!! When I think that her books can't get as good as the prior one boy was I fooled. This one had a nice twist . Mad Conrad the mercenary and Neomi the ghost ballerina made a perfect couple.
    • 4/5
      Conrad, Vampire that all other fear and Nèomi, a ghostly ballerina, "meet" when Conrad's brothers imprison him in Nèomi's home, where is she is stuck, having been murdered there. For most of the book, Conrad is the only one who can see or hear her, but she has a strangely calming way with his rage. Conrad eventually breaks free of his imprisonment, but stays because he likes her presence and want to leave her. There's a lot more to the story but I don't want to ruin any of the plot, so I won't go into more detail, but I will say that I liked the originality of how they get their happiness.
    • 4/5
      Great story
    • 4/5
      Great series, give it a whirl.
    • 4/5
      The ghost and the vampire...

      Another amazing Kresley story! She had me with this one... I had no idea how those two were going to get their HEA with him being such a douche and her being, well, dead. All things are possible, though!

      I <3 IAD
    • 5/5
      my favorite from the series. I love that it's not just about sex and that their relationship actually develops.
    • 4/5
      The missing Wroth brother is finally found and captured by his brothers. He is a vampire, an assassin, and he succumbed to his blood lust and has killed while feeding, therefor marking him as evil and quite crazed from the memories of those he has killed. His brothers put him in an old house near their home in Louisiana to try and help him, turns out he is not the only occupant. Naomi was a famous ballerina at the height of her career in the 20's and was brutally murdered in her newly renovated home. The same home the vampire assassin now resides in. She is a ghost, refusing to leave her life behind, she stays in her home, unable to leave its walls for 80 years. Conrad is the only one who can see her, and they soon find out through various plot twists and obstacles that she is his fated bride. Find out how that goes down...its good.

      I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the others, it was great, but not my favorite of the series. I love the humor and sarcasm of the female lead character, she is hilarious, and the face that she is a ghost well, that was new. I couldn't even figure out how that was going to work out for the main characters, but as usual, it does. Good book, and excellent series.
    • 5/5
      Neomi and Conrad. A ghost ballerina soothes a crazed vampire.
    • 4/5
      How can a ghost possible end up a bride to blood a lost vampire? Cole, the queen of making what if happen, has yet again created a story with the impossible.

      While I enjoyed this book, I didn't get the same pleasure from it as her later books. Conrad is the leading male who for 300 years has been on a drinking binge- from the flesh.

      His brothers come in to intervene and Conrad is locked up with a ghost set out to torment him.

      The plot was consistent and had me running around wondering what would happen next.

      The characters were easy to connect to and I love the idea of a phantom. But I won't give all those juicy details away-

      If you enjoy Cole, vampires, and teasing, you'll enjoy reading this book.
    • 5/5
      Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole is a 2008 Pocket Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book as an XOXpert the official street team of XOXO After Dark. After reading the first four Immortals After Dark novels, this one seemed like a bit of a departure, but one I welcomed. I've struggled to find the time to catch up with the series, but with fall upon us and Halloween right around the corner, I've been in the mood for something paranormal. This was the perfect book for my mood.Neomi Laress was a premier ballerina in the 1920's, but her former fiance murders her after she breaks things off with him. She has been stuck in the phantom realm at her dream home, Elancourt, in New Orleans ever since.The abandoned and crumbling home is the perfect spot for Nikolai and Sebastian to bring their brother, Conrad, who is still enraged over having been made into a vampire. Conrad has the blood lust and is very dangerous, which has made him a few enemies along the way. He's out of control and his brothers are hoping to contain him, wishing he would find his bride which might help take the edge off. After years of being invisible, it figures a vampire would be the one who could see Neomi. She is thrilled by Conrad's ability to see her and converse with her, but as attuned as they are they can't physically touch each other. Yet as time goes on, Conrad knows Neomi is “his bride by fate, his bride by choice”. But how on earth can that be? Ghost stories are my absolute favorite paranormal trope and these days they are few and far between. One reason, I suppose, is that it's got to be hard to create a love story with a ghost as the love interest. I mean, how do you make that work? Well, leave it to Kresley Cole to find a way. This imaginative story is deeply sensual, but with lots of action and danger to round things out. The secondary characters were absolutely fantastic with super sharp dialogue that kept me enthralled, exited, and totally into this book. I loved the flip flop of having Neomi be the take charge person in the sexual aspects and for a very rare change, the female lead is the one with the most sexual experience. I loved the way everything worked out for the couple. I loved Conrad's growth and development, because he has so much to overcome, but I couldn't help but feel a huge mount of empathy for Neomi. While this story may seem impossible to pull off, it worked out wonderfully, with love doing it's thing and working it's own magic. This was one of the most unique installments in a series that is known for being idiosyncratic to begin with. So far I've been most impressed with the IAD series and it's one of the very few paranormal romances I still make an effort to keep in touch with. Overall a 4.5 out of 5
    • 4/5
      Theirs certainly seems like a doomed romance - he's a mad vampire, and she's an invisible ghost trapped in a crumbling mansion. Thank goodness for family ties and mercenary glitches, or their happily ever after would be seriously short.Clever plot, but the characters weren't quite as developed as Cole's usually are.
    • 5/5
      This is probably one of my favorites of the series, mostly because it is so different. Conrad is such an unusual male. We get to see a man on the edge of insanity, as he tries to determine if this ghost is his Bride or just a figment of his imagination.





      He's so fierce, violent, tortured, and yet at the same time, sweet, loving, and innocent. That's right ladies, he's a man whose never made love. I absolutely loved the way Ms. Cole dealt with this issue and it is some of the most beautifully poignant writing I have ever read.





      Just a beautiful story.





      Now I have to write the full review for the blog!



      Bea
    • 4/5
      I admit that I was a little worried when I started Dark Needs at Night's Edge. I wasn't really thrilled about the idea of a romance where the heroine is a ghost, and a lot of reviews complained that this book was slow, or just not quite up to par with the others. I've been working through the Immortals After Dark series in order, so I wasn't going to skip it, but I was prepared for a weak link. I was pleasantly surprised - I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Needs at Night's Edge, loved the pacing and character development, and the author managed to make Neomi's ghostly nature work for, rather than against, the plot.

      So there are a few things going on in this novel. On the one hand, it's about curing Conrad Wroth of madness brought on by bloodlust. When vampires drink blood straight from the vein, they gain access to the memories of their victims. Eventually, all the memories - experienced in the first person - make the vampires lose all sense of self, bringing on madness. Conrad is 300 years old and completely bonkers. His brothers are trying to wean him off drinking from the vein, hoping that will help him control the cacophany of memories, but what really helps him turn the corner is his Bride - the ghost Neomi. She's so important to him that she crowds out the other thoughts, allows him to focus, gives him a goal. And at the same time, it's about Neomi deciding that being a ghost is no excuse for being passive. She's trapped in a painful unlife, but she can still make choices - and it's Conrad, with his attempts to control and dominate her, that reminds Neomi who's in charge (Hint: not Conrad).

      So the hero and the heroine are each on their own, individual journey - but romance is the catalyst for their progress, their ultimate test, and also their greatest reward. While Conrad is in the depths of his madness, it gives him great comfort that Neomi is a ghost - because he can't hurt her. He has hardly any self-control, and an incorporeal bride gives him the chance to work through the early stages of trust and attraction without the risk of killing her in a fit of rage. And when they've made as much progress as a couple can without actually touching, it's Neomi who takes charge and figures out how to remedy the situation.

      It's true there isn't a huge amount of action in this novel, but there is a LOT of romance. Conrad and Neomi spend a lot of time together, since they are both stuck in the crumbling New Orleans mansion where Neomi was killed and Conrad was chained. Their relationship goes through many different stages - it starts off very tentative - and it was a nice change of pace to have a sexually experienced and enthusiastic heroine and an innocent hero. Conrad is definitely rough around the edges, and he has no idea how to court a woman. So when he tries, there's a really adorable vulnerability about him that just tugs on your heartstrings.

      Anyhow, for any other Immortals After Dark readers who are wondering if Dark Needs at Night's Edge is going to be a weak link - you can add one more reader to your tally on the side of "totally satisfied." I thought it fit into the series perfectly and made me look forward all the more to starting book 5.
    • 4/5
      Dark Needs at Night's Edge
      4 Stars

      Synopsis
      Turned into a vampire against his will, Conrad Wroth has spent 300 years fighting the bloodlust and memories that have rendered him virtually insane. Sequestered in a haunted house with the ghost of Neomi Laress, a dancer murdered by former fiance, Conrad discovers that there are things with living for but it may be too late to save the only woman he has ever held dear.

      Review
      Gets off to a slow start but heats up halfway through.

      Conrad and Neomi complement each other well - he is a sexually inexperienced and vengeful vampire aching for death while she is a brazen and feisty ghost with a zest for life. Their relationship builds slowly into an enchanting romance, and they have some seriously sexy scenes together.

      The writing is entertaining as usual although Cole's use of present tense POV during Conrad's transition into sanity falls a little flat. The gothic atmosphere and haunted house setting are compelling as are the cameo appearances by Nix, who never ceases to crack me up, and Bowen and Mariketa, who have such a wonderful dynamic.

      Despite its predictability, the plot has some entertaining elements such as Neomi's klepto tendencies (she reminds me of Anya in LOTR) and Conrad's slow recovery from bloodlust. There are, however, several underdeveloped and even confusing points. Conrad's encounter with the dream demon and his subsequent dream/nightmare curse is never fully explained nor is its effect completely apparent. Moreover, there are references to events in Cade and Murdoch's stories that seem disjointed and even had me feeling that I had missed out on a novella. These inconsistencies will apparently be explained further down the line but can be distracting.

      One the whole, the story is good and the ending very satisfying. I enjoyed the original resolution to Neomi's mortality problem and look forward to the next book - it will be interesting to see how Cadeon handles things with his human mate.
    • 4/5
      I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I've been on a ghost-kick lately, so ghost story super hot romance = fun to be had by all. I thought the ending was a bit ridiculous, but that's Kresley Cole for you.
    • 4/5
      I started reading this book several years ago. I just wasn't able to finish it. I am still not sure why except I have a hard time with ghost and living being relationships. Most of the ones that I have read either end up with someone dying so the couple can be together or the author comes up with some completely crazy idea to bring the ghost back. So when I decided to read the entire series this time I made a vow to finish this story. I have to say that there isn't anything wrong with the story. In many ways it is sweet and romantic. Of the five stories so far Conrad is the most romantic of the bunch. Maybe it is because he is a virgin. Yes I know that it is hard to believe but there you go. Conrad has become an assassin and has become addicted to the bloodlust that drives so many of the Horde crazy. I love that his brothers are so determined to cure him and to find his Bride. Conrad is a warrior and as such he does have a code that he lives by once he starts to remember his life. He is kind and patient with Neomi most of the time; he does go off the deep end several times though. It was nice that these two spent time just talking and getting to know one another. There was a gentleness to the story that isn't in most books. It is a nice change and makes this story so very different from the previous one. For most the story he wants Neomi so much that he can almost taste her. When he and she finally are able to get together he wines and dines her all over the world. I was also very glad that he forgave his brothers and found a way to keep close to them.Neomi Lasser death at the beginning of the story is sad and terrible. I will applaud Ms. Cole for not glossing over the details of what a twisted individual, Louis Robicheaux, really was. It was very sad the Neomi had to relive her death each month. With just one example of the scene as it plays out each month the reader sees what Neomi has gone through for the eighty years she has been dead. It is no wonder that she jumps at the slim chance that she can live again. We get all of Neomi's checkered history and you have to admire her courage and determination to make a better life for herself. I know from the history that I have read that there weren't many opportunities for a single woman to make a living in the 1920’s. She is full of life and joy which helps Conrad to see that there is more to his existence than killing and revenge. She is also very strong willed never letting Conrad to ride rough shod over her. It is great that she can just disappear when he gets overbearing or angry at her.While there aren't as many love scenes in this story as in the previous ones what is there steam up the pages and the house. The first time Conrad can take Neomi is very, very hot. We also get to see more of the other Worth brothers as well as Mari, Nix and Bowen. We also see some more about Rydstrom and Cadeon the storm demons that are trying to regain Rydstorm's throne. I think that a lot of paranormal romance fans are going to love this book. So rush off and get your copy so you can start reading today.
    • 5/5
      Even when I didn't like the hero, I couldn't put this book down. When I started warming towards him... well, it became a winner! Connor is a vampire, but one with those dreaded red eyes: that means he drinks from the flesh. And on top of that, he is a hired assasin. After so many years of bloodlust, he's almost mad. The memories he gathered from his victims run without control in his mind so he can't tell if what he's seeing is actually true, a hallucination brought by his fragmented mind or a memory from someone he's killed. And when his brothers capture him trying to cure him out of his bloodlust, he's the only one who sees a beautiful female ghost. So he guesses it's probably a hallucination or past memory. When the ghost starts to interract with him, he can't pretend to ignore her anymore, especially since he finds himself attracted to her. But she isn't corporeal and he isn't blooded, so what chances do they have? Besides, there are a lot of creatures out there trying to kill him and he has to remove the most imminent threat -an 8 inches tall demon- right away, if he wants to have any kind of future with Neomi.I liked fun loving Neomi very much. She was a woman who loved life and enjoyed it to its fullest. I think she was the perfect match for a man like dark, moody man like Connor. I liked the way they got to talk and know each other, their interest turning to mutual attraction and much later to love. Even when they couldn't make love, you could feel the sparks flying between them when they were together:) I don't particularly like Nix's crazyness, nor the Lore's females' mania with food delicacies and soap operas. In fact I get increasingly frustrated at such scenes, rather than amused, but luckily there were too few in this one compared to previous books. I hope there's even less in the future.Heading straight to Cadeon's book. Can't wait to see what Cole has in store for him:)
    • 5/5
      Dark Needs At Night's Edge is the fourth novel in the Immortals After Dark series. This book is the story of Neomi, an incorporeal ghost, and Conrad, a blood-crazed killer vampire. Conrad is a strong and powerful vampire yet he has been driven mad by his bloodlust and must fight to regain his sanity. He is also the brother of Nickoli and Sebastian, and the perfect romance hero, strong and sexy yet vulnerable. N&#233;omi is a ghost with a lust for life. Her short mortal life was joyfully spent in the pursuit of fun and happiness. Conrad has known nothing of joy or fun - his mortal life was brutally hard and his immortal life even harder. N&#233;omi has her work cut out when it comes to bringing fun back into Conrad's existence. The novel sees Conrad and N&#233;omi thrown together when Conrad's vampire brothers imprison him in N&#233;omi's home. They leave him there to go cold turkey on his blood addiction in the hopes that this will help him regain his sanity. Conrad is the first person in all of the eighty years N&#233;omi has been a ghost who is actually able to see her. Once she manages to convince Conrad that she isn't just another crazy hallucination she begins to keep him company and helps him to master his rage and bloodlust with her lively yet calming presence. This time spent together allows their relationship and characters to develop without too many distractions. A word of caution though - the fast pacing of this novel makes it nearly impossible to put down once you start reading it. I didn't want to put it down and look forward to their appearance in the coming novels. I would definitely recommend this book!
    • 4/5
      Instructions on how to cure the raging beast with red eyes that is known as the fallen vampire: The two major ingrediants include:1. One ghostly ballerina which a need for attention2. One vampire assasin who upon drinking from the neck fell into a blood lust most consider uncurable. A blood lust that rivals only his need for vengence. Mix the two and add three loyal brothers, a witch who cannot look at her own reflection, Nixx a demi-goddess with a superiority complex.Throw in some valkarie and demon and what have you got.WHAMO! One epic story that is sure to keep them coming.Kresley Cole has yet to dissapoint me with the books she creates. I pick one of her books up and I know I am in for a page turner I will have trouble putting down even for sleep.
    • 4/5
      Conrad and Néomi's story was sweet. They rank as my 3rd fave IAD couple after Nikolai-Myst and Sebastian-Kaderin (in that order).
    • 5/5
      Conrad is one of the Fallen vampires, having committed the forbidden act of killing while feeding. He has become mad and powerful, as well as cold. His brothers trap him in an old house in an attempt to rehabilitate him. This house happens to be the haunting place of ghost Neomi, who in life was a beautiful ballerina. Conrad is the only one who can see Neomi, and he quickly comes to enjoy her company--despite the fact that she is as insubstantial as air. I was initially uncertain about the concept of a ghost as the female lead--but as it turns out, it makes the story. The imagery of the long-dead ballerina is beautiful and fascinating. To me it was incredibly romantic to have two characters fall in love although they could not touch one another. As the story unfolds, we see a lot of return characters from previous books--including Nikolai, Sebastian, Bowen, and Mariketa. If you are a fan of the series, this is a nice bonus. I recommend this book to any fan of The Immortals After Dark series. I highly recommend the series to any paranormal romance fans looking for something fun and different.
    • 4/5
      Ugh I hate ghost characters...boring! That being said I do like this series, and I did get into this story eventually. By the time it ended I was delighted but it took me about 200 pages to get there.
    • 5/5
      I can't say that any 'one' of these books is my favorite. All of them have been absolutely, surprisingly, wonderful and all favorites. This one in particular actually made me cry. It seemed like it was actually going to be slow in the beginning, but Cole was just building the wicked way that she does and hail to the queen for such a thrilling ride and twists and turns, I even held my breathe for a few chapters at the end. Glorious!!!

    Book preview

    Dark Needs at Night's Edge - Kresley Cole

    Cover: Dark Needs at Night's Edge, by Kresley Cole

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    Praise for DARK NEEDS AT NIGHT’S EDGE

    The evolution of this romance is among the most believable and engrossing I’ve ever read. Cole’s Immortals After Dark series continues stronger than ever.

    —Fresh Fiction

    A wickedly exhilarating ride through the world of the Lore. I can’t recommend Conrad and Néomi’s book enough. Fabulous, Ms. Cole! Simply fabulous!

    —Romance Junkies

    More acclaim for #1 New York Times bestselling author KRESLEY COLE and her IMMORTALS AFTER DARK novels

    DARK SKYE

    When it comes to creating adversarial protagonists who must overcome enormous emotional and deadly obstacles to get their HEA, no one does it better!

    —RT Book Reviews

    Equally adventuresome and romantic. . . . Superb.

    —Single Titles

    MACRIEVE

    MacRieve’s like the ultimate tortured hero. . . . I love that all of Kresley’s heroes and heroines are different.

    —USA Today

    Every time I pick up a Kresley Cole book it starts this spiral of need to go back and read the rest of the series all over again. . . . This is probably the steamiest book of the series, almost from the get-go.

    —Avon Romance

    SHADOW’S CLAIM

    (The Dacians), a RITA Award Winner!

    Kresley Cole cannot do wrong in my book. She is masterful in creating the perfect Alpha Male.

    —Under the Covers Book Blog

    LOTHAIRE

    A RITA Award Finalist!

    I was amazed at this world Kresley Cole has created . . . a definite favorite.

    —USA Today

    How do you make the crazy, arrogant, and ruthless archvillain of a series a hero? With great difficulty! Yet Cole pulls it off splendidly.

    —RT Book Reviews

    DREAMS OF A DARK WARRIOR

    Sex scenes so hot there is a danger the pages could spontaneously combust.

    —Love Vampires

    DEMON FROM THE DARK

    Intense danger mixes with insatiable desire to create a scorching hot romance that plays out against a fast-paced backdrop of thrilling supernatural adventure. Addictively good reading.

    —Love Vampires

    PLEASURE OF A DARK PRINCE

    There are few authors that can move me to tears. Kresley Cole is one of them.

    —Book Binge

    KISS OF A DEMON KING

    A RITA Award Winner!

    Cole deftly blends danger and desire into a brilliantly original contemporary paranormal romance . . . sexy . . . sharp humor . . . simply irresistible.

    —Reader to Reader

    DARK DESIRES AFTER DUSK

    Cole outdoes herself. . . . A gem.

    —RT Book Reviews

    WICKED DEEDS ON A WINTER’S NIGHT

    Leave it to the awe-inspiring Cole to dish up a combustible mix of sorcery and passion. One for the keeper shelf!

    —RT Book Reviews

    Cole effortlessly delivers heart-wringing romance, likeable heroines, hot heroes and hotter sex . . . set against an original and exciting paranormal mythology that keeps both the story and the reader speeding along.

    —Love Vampires

    NO REST FOR THE WICKED

    Sizzling sex and high-stakes adventure are what’s on tap in mega-talented Cole’s sensational new paranormal release. . . . One nonstop thrill ride. Brava!

    —RT Book Reviews

    A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER

    A RITA Award Winner!

    Intense action, devilishly passionate sex, and fascinating characters. . . . An amazing and inventive alternate reality. . . . Hot stuff!

    —RT Book Reviews

    Superb . . . rich mythology, a fresh approach, and excellent writing.

    —Fresh Fiction

    THE WARLORD WANTS FOREVER

    "Holy hotness, Batman! Why did nobody sit me down and give me a stern lecture on why I needed to start this series ages ago? I mean, whoa."

    —Reading the Paranormal

    Dark Needs at Night's Edge, by Kresley Cole, Pocket

    For Lauren, my phenomenal editor and a dedicated champion of these books. This is our tenth project together, and it’s still as crazy and exciting as the first.

    Excerpted from The Living Book of Lore . . .

    The Lore

    . . . and those sentient creatures that are not human shall be united in one stratum, coexisting with, yet secret from, man’s.

    • Most are immortal and can regenerate from injuries, killed only by mystical fire or beheading.

    • Their eyes change with intense emotion, often to a breed-specific color.

    The Vampire Horde

    In the first chaos of the Lore, a brotherhood of vampires dominated, by relying on their cold nature, worship of logic, and absence of mercy. They sprang from the harsh steppes of Dacia and migrated to Russia, though some say a secret enclave live in Dacia still.

    • Have the ability to teleport, also known as tracing.

    • Each adult male seeks his Bride, his eternal wife, and walks as the living dead until he finds her.

    • A Bride will render his body fully alive, giving him breath and making his heart beat, a process known as blooding.

    The Forbearers

    " . . . his crown stolen, Kristoff, the rightful Horde king, stalked the battlefields of antiquity seeking the strongest, most valiant human warriors as they died, earning him the name The Gravewalker. He offered eternal life for eternal fealty to him and his growing army."

    • An army of vampires consisting of turned humans, who do not drink blood directly from the flesh.

    The House of Witches

    . . . immortal possessors of magickal talents, practitioners of good and evil.

    • Mystical mercenaries who sell their spells.

    The Turning

    Only through death can one become an ‘other.’

    • Some beings, like the Lykae, vampires, and demons, can turn a human or even other Lore creatures into their kind through differing means, but the catalyst for change is always death, and success is not guaranteed.

    The Accession

    And a time shall come to pass when all immortal beings in the Lore, from the Valkyries, vampire, Lykae, and demon factions to the witches, shifters, fey, and sirens . . . must fight and destroy each other.

    • A kind of mystical checks-and-balances system for an ever-growing population of immortals.

    • Occurs every five hundred years. Or right now . . .

    A femme fatale? With a history of burlesque dancing? You must have the wrong girl. I’m naught but a humble ballet dancer, a mere delicate sparrow.

    —Néomi Laress, prima ballerina, former femme fatale and burlesque dancer (b. approx. 1901—d. August 24, 1927)

    I hereby vow to devote my life to annihilating the vampiir. None shall know my presence and live.

    —Conrad Wroth, age thirteen, upon being inducted into the Order of Kapsliga Uur in the year 1709

    Prologue

    New Orleans

    August 24, 1927

    I’ll kill you for spurning me. . . .

    Struggling to block out memories of Louis Robicheaux’s latest threat, Néomi Laress stood at the top of her grand staircase and gazed out over the packed ballroom.

    As she might cradle a babe, she held bouquets of roses swathed in silk. They were gifts from some of the men in the crowd of partygoers below, a motley mix of her rollicking set, rich patrons, and newspaper reporters. A sultry bayou breeze slid throughout the space, carrying strains of music from the twelve-piece orchestra outside.

    . . . you’ll beg for my mercy.

    She stifled a shiver. Her ex-fiancé’s behavior had become more chilling of late, his atonement gifts more extravagant. Néomi’s refusal to sleep with Louis had frustrated and angered him, but breaking off their relationship had enraged him.

    The look in his pale eyes earlier tonight . . . She gave herself an inward shake. She’d hired guards for this event—Louis couldn’t get to her.

    One admirer, a handsome banker from Boston, noticed her aloft and began to clap. When the throng joined in, she envisioned a curtain going up. With a slow, gracious smile, she said, "Bienvenue to you all," then began descending her stairs.

    No one would ever sense her anxiety. She was a trained ballerina, but above all things, she was an entertainer. She would work this room, dispensing teasing nibbles of sarcasm and softly spoken bons mots, charming any critics and coaxing laughter from even the most staid.

    Though her arms already ached from cradling so many bouquets, and flashbulbs went off in glaring succession, her smile remained fixed. Another gliding step down.

    She’d be damned before she’d let Louis ruin her night of triumph. Three hours ago, she’d given the performance of a lifetime to a sold-out house. For tonight’s soirée celebrating her newly renovated estate, Elancourt, the Gothic manor house was resplendent with the glow of a thousand candles. Through her dancing, she’d paid for the painstaking restoration of her new home and all the sumptuous furnishings inside it.

    Every detail for the party was perfect, and outside, a sliver moon clung to the sky. A lucky moon.

    Her dress for this evening was a more risqué version of the costume she’d worn earlier, the satin as black as her jet hair. The tight bodice laced up the front like a bygone corset, and a slit in the skirt almost reached up to her garter belt and the edge of her stockings. Her makeup was styled after the Hollywood vamps—she’d kohled her eyes with a smoky hue, donned lipstick of oxblood red, and painted her short nails a dark crimson.

    With her jeweled choker and dangling earrings, the ensemble had cost a small fortune, but tonight was worth it.

    Tonight all her dreams had finally come true.

    Only Louis could ruin it. She willed herself to ignore her apprehension, inwardly cursing him in English and in French, which helped ease her tension.

    Until she nearly stumbled on the stairs. He was there, standing at the periphery, staring up at her.

    Usually so kempt, he had his tie loosened, his blond hair disheveled.

    How had he gotten past the guards? Louis was filthy rich; had the bastard bribed them?

    His bloodshot eyes burned with a maniacal light, but she assured herself that he wouldn’t dare harm her in front of hundreds of people, including reporters and photographers.

    Yet she wouldn’t put it past him to make a scene or expose her scandalous history to everyone. Her uptown patrons winked at her and her friends’ colorful antics, but they had no idea what she was—much less of her past occupation.

    Chin raised and shoulders back, she continued down, but her hands were clenching the roses. Resentment warred with her fear. So help her, God, she’d scratch his eyes out if he ruined this.

    Just before she reached the bottom step, he began elbowing his way toward her. She tried to signal the burly guard at the opened patio door, but the crowd enveloped her, effectively trapping her. She attempted to make her way to the man, yet everyone wanted to be the first to congratulate her.

    When she heard Louis pushing people behind her, Néomi’s soft-spoken apologies—"Pardonnez-moi, I’ll just be a moment—turned to Let me pass!"

    He neared. Out of the corner of her eye she spied his hand fiddling with something in his jacket pocket. Not another gift? This will be so embarrassing.

    When that hand shot out, she whirled around, dropping her bouquets. Metal glinted in the light of the candles. Eyes wide, she screamed—

    He plunged a knife into her chest.

    Pain . . . unimaginable pain. She could hear the blade grating past her bones, felt a force so jarring the tip pierced through her very back. As she clawed at his arms, ugly sounds erupted from her throat; those nearest backed away in horror.

    This can’t be happening. . . .

    Only when he released the knife did her body collapse to the floor. Rosebuds scattered, their petals wafting around the jutting hilt. She stared dumbly at the ceiling as warm blood seeped from her back, pooling around her. She perceived the silence of the room over Louis’s ragged breaths as he knelt beside her, beginning to weep.

    This isn’t happening. . . .

    The first scream rent the quiet. Hysterical people shoved each other to flee the scene. She heard the guards finally yelling and fighting past the crowd.

    And Néomi lived still. She was dogged, a survivor; she would not die in her dream home on her dream night. Fight.

    Louis fisted the hilt once again, jarring the knife inside her.

    Agony . . . too much . . . can’t bear this . . . But she had no breath to scream, no strength to raise her limp arms to defend herself.

    With a choked bellow he twisted the blade in the pocket of her wound. Feel it for me, Néomi, he gasped at her ear. Pain exploded, radiating out from her heart to every inch of her body. Feel what I have suffered!

    Too much! The temptation to close her eyes nearly overwhelmed her. Yet she kept them open, kept living.

    See how much I love you? We’ll be together now. The knife made a sucking sound when he yanked it from her. Just before he was tackled to the ground, he sliced his own throat ear to ear.

    Her blood had begun to cool by the time a doctor made it to her. He crouched to grasp her wrist. There’s no pulse, he said, voice raised over the commotion. She’s gone.

    But she wasn’t! Not yet!

    Néomi was young, and she had so many things left to experience. She deserved to live. I’m not dying. Her hands somehow clenched. I refuse to!

    Yet as the breeze picked up once more, Néomi’s vision guttered out like a candle flame. No, no . . . still living . . . can’t see, can’t see . . . so scared.

    Rose petals caught on the wind and tumbled over her face. She could feel each cool kiss of them.

    Then . . . nothingness.

    Outside Orleans Parish

    Present day

    Stay sane, act normal, he chants to himself as he strides down the rickety pier. On either side of him, water black like tar. Ahead of him, muted light from the bayou tavern. A Lore bar. A lone neon sign flickers over flat skiffs below. Music and laughter carry.

    Stay sane . . . need to dull the rage. Until the endtime.

    Inside. Whiskey. His voice is low, rough from disuse.

    The bartender’s face falls. Like last night. Others grow skittish. Can they sense that I ache to kill? The whispers around him are like metal on slate to his ragged nerves.

    —Conrad Wroth, once a warlord . . . madder than any vampire I’ve seen in all my centuries.

    —A killer for hire. If he shows up in your town, then folks from the Lore there’ll go missing.

    Missing? Unless I want them found.

    —Heard he drains ’em so savagely . . . nothing’s left of their throats.

    So I’m not fastidious.

    —I heard he eats them.

    Distorted rumors. Or is that one true?

    Tales of his insanity spreading once more. I’ve never missed a target—how insane can I be? He answers himself: Very fucking much so.

    Memories clot his mind. His victims’ memories taken from their blood toll inside him, their number always growing. Don’t know what’s real; can’t determine what’s illusion. Most of the time, he can scarcely understand his own thoughts. He doesn’t go a day without seeing some type of hallucination, striking out at shadows around him.

    A grenade with the pin pulled, they say. Only a matter of time.

    They’re right.

    Stay sane . . . act normal. Glass in hand, he chuckles softly on his way to a dimly lit table in the back. Normal? He’s a goddamned vampire in a bar filled with shifters, demons, and the sharp-eared fey. Christmas lights are strung up in the back—through the eye sockets of human skulls that frame a mirror. In the corner, a demoness lazily strokes her lover’s horns, visibly arousing the male. At the bar, an immense werewolf bares his fangs as he tosses a small redhead behind him.

    Can’t decide if you should attack, Lykae? That’s right. I don’t smell of blood. A trick I learned.

    The couple leaves, the redhead all but carried out by the Lykae. As they exit, she peers over her shoulder, her eyes like mirrors. Then gone. Out into the night where they belong.

    Sit. Back against the wall. He adjusts the sunglasses that shade his red eyes, dirty red eyes. As he scans the room, he resists the urge to rub his palm over the back of his neck. Watched by someone unseen?

    But then, I always feel like that.

    He swoops up the drink, narrowing his eyes at his steady hand. My mind’s decayed, but my sword hand’s still true. A ruinous combination.

    He takes a liberal swallow. The drink. The whiskey dulls the need to lash out. Not that it has disappeared.

    Small things enrage him. An off look. Someone approaching too quickly. Failing to give him a wide enough berth. His fangs sharpen at the slightest provocation. As though a living thing hungers inside me. Ravenous for blood and a throat to tear. Each time he acts on the rage, others’ memories blight more of his own.

    He still has enough sanity to stalk his targets—his brothers. He will mete out retribution to Nikolai and Murdoch Wroth for doing the unspeakable to him three hundred years ago. Sebastian, the third brother, was a victim like him, but must be slain—simply because of what he is.

    And my time grows nigh. Like an animal, he recognizes this. He’s found them in this mysterious place of swamps and haze and music. He’s seen Nikolai and Sebastian with their wives. He might have felt envy that his brothers laugh with them. That they touch them possessively, with wonder in their clear eyes. But hatred drowns out any confusing jealousy.

    Offspring will follow. He’ll kill their females as well. Destroy them. Destroy myself. Before my enemies catch up with me.

    He adjusts the arm bandage under his shirt. His slashed skin will not heal. Five days ago, he was marked by a dream demon, one who tracks him by this very injury. One who promised that his most coveted dream and most dreaded nightmare would follow the mark.

    His brows draw together. The hunter will soon become the hunted—his life is nearing its end.

    A whisper of regret. The thing he regrets most. He tries to remember what he covets so dearly. Another’s memories bombard him, exploding in his mind. His hand shoots up to clasp his forehead—

    Nikolai enters the bar, Murdoch behind him. Their expressions are grave.

    They’ve come to kill me. As he expected. He thought he could draw them out by returning here again and again. He lowers his hand, and his lips ease back from his fangs. The bar empties in a rush.

    Then . . . stillness. His brothers haven’t seen him in centuries; they stare as if seeing a ghost. Insects clamor outside. Rain draws near and steeps the air. As lightning strikes in the distance, Sebastian enters, crossing to stand beside the other two. Allied with them? This is unexpected.

    He removes his sunglasses, revealing his red eyes. The eldest, Nikolai, winces at the sight. Yes, brother, the red means I’m too far gone to save.

    The three advance, seeming surprised that he’ll stay to engage them, that he hasn’t traced away. They are strong and skilled, yet they don’t recognize the power he wields, the thing he’s become.

    He can slaughter them all without blinking, and he’ll savor it. They haven’t drawn their swords? Then they walk to their doom. Can’t keep them waiting.

    He lunges from his seat and hurdles the table, knocking Sebastian unconscious with a blow that cracks his skull and sends him flying into the back wall. Before the other two can raise a hand in defense, he snatches them by their throats. One in each tightening hand as they grapple to free themselves. Three hundred years of this, he hisses. Their struggles do nothing; their shocked expressions satisfy. Squeezing—

    Wood creaks behind him. He shoves back and heaves his brothers at a new enemy. Too late; that Lykae’s returned and slashes out with flared claws, ripping through his torso. Blood gushes.

    He roars with fury and charges the werewolf, dodging claws and teeth with uncanny speed to barrel him to the ground. Just as his hands are about to meet around the Lykae’s corded neck, the beast claps something to his right wrist.

    A manacle? Clenching harder, he grates out a laugh. You don’t think that will hold me? Bones begin to pop beneath his palms. The kill is near, and he wants to yell with pleasure.

    The werewolf cuffs his left wrist.

    What is this? The metal won’t bend. Won’t break. They goddamned mean to take me alive? He leaps to his feet, tensing to trace. Nothing. Sebastian on the floor, pouring blood from his temple, has him by the ankles.

    He kicks Sebastian, connecting squarely with his brother’s chest. Ribs crack. He whirls around—in time to catch the bar rail the Lykae swings at his face.

    He staggers but remains on his feet.

    "What the fuck is he?" the Lykae bellows, swinging the rail again with all his might.

    The brutal hit takes him across his neck. A split second of faltering. Enough for his brothers to tackle him.

    He thrashes and bites, snapping his fangs. Can’t break free . . . can’t . . . They attach the manacles at his wrists to another chain. He kicks viciously, stunned when they trap his legs as well.

    Choking with rage, he strains against his bonds with all his strength. The metal cleaves his skin to the bone. Nothing.

    Caught. He roars, spitting blood at them, dimly hearing them speak.

    I hope you came up with a good place to put him, Sebastian says between breaths.

    I bought a long-abandoned manor, Nikolai says, place called Elancourt.

    Chills course through him despite his fury; pain erupts from the injury on his arm. A dream. His doom. He can never go to this Elancourt—knows this with a savage certainty. He’s too strong for them to trace him—there’s still time to escape.

    If they take him there, they won’t take him alive. . . .

    *  *  *

    Under a cloudy nighttime sky, the spirit of Néomi Laress knelt at the edge of her property, gazing hungrily at today’s plastic-wrapped newspaper.

    The deliveryman—that capricious fiend—had missed the drive again, this time tossing the bundle onto the desolate county road.

    Néomi was starving for that paper, desperate for the news, reviews, and commentary that would break up the monotony of her life—or her eighty-year-long afterlife.

    But she couldn’t leave the estate to seize it. As a ghost, Néomi could manipulate matter telekinetically, and her power was nearly absolute at Elancourt—she could rattle all the windows or tear off the roof if she wanted to, and the weather often changed with her emotions—but not outside the property.

    Her beloved home had become her prison, her eternal cell of fifteen acres and a slowly dying manor. Among fate’s other curses, each seemingly designed to torture her in personal and specific ways, Néomi could never leave this place.

    She didn’t know why this was so—only that it was, and had been since she’d awakened the morning after her murder. She recalled seeing her haunting reflection for the first time. Néomi remembered the exact moment when she’d realized she’d died—when she’d first comprehended what she’d become.

    A ghost. She’d become something that frightened even her. Something unnatural. Never again to be a lover or friend. Never to be a mother, like she’d always planned after her dancing career. As a storm had raged outside, she’d silently screamed for hours.

    The only thing she could be thankful for was that Louis hadn’t been trapped here with her.

    She stretched harder. Must . . . have that . . . paper!

    Néomi wasn’t certain why it continued to arrive. A past article had outlined the problems with recurrent billing of credit cards, and she supposed she was the benefactress of her last tenant’s credit card negligence. The delivery could end at any time. Every paper was precious.

    Eventually she gave up, sitting back in the weed-ridden drive. Out of habit, she made movements as if she was rubbing her legs, yet felt nothing.

    Néomi could never feel. Never again. She was incorporeal, as substantial as the mist rolling in from the bayou.

    Thanks, Louis. Oh, and may you rot in hell—because surely that’s where you went.

    Usually, at this point in the newspaper struggle, she’d be battling the urge to tear her hair out, wondering how much longer she could endure this existence, speculating what she’d done to deserve it.

    Yes, on the night of her death, she’d refused to die, but this was ridiculous.

    But even as desperate as she was for the words, she wasn’t as bad off as usual.

    Because last night a man had come into her home. A towering, handsome man with grave eyes. He might return this night. He might even move in.

    She shouldn’t get too excited about the stranger, to have her hopes crushed yet again—

    Lights blinded her; the shriek of squealing tires ripped through the quiet of the night.

    As a car shot forward onto the gravel, she futilely raised her arms in defense and gave a silent cry. It drove straight through her, the engine reverberating like an earthquake when it passed through her head.

    The vehicle never slowed as it prowled down the oak-lined drive to Elancourt.

    Néomi blinked, her strong night vision returning slowly. Even after all these years, she was still surprised that she was unharmed.

    She recognized the sharp, low car from last night, so different from the trucks that usually chugged by on the old county road. Which meant . . . which meant . . .

    The grave-eyed man returned!

    The paper forgotten, she dissipated from the drive and materialized on Elancourt’s landing, overlooking the front entrance. She moved as if to clutch the sides of the window there, her arms floating outspread.

    His car sat in the drive.

    Won’t you move in? she’d wanted to beg last night as he’d examined the manor. He’d tested the columns, drawn sheets off some of the remaining furniture, and even yanked on the radiant heater in the main salon. Appearing satisfied that it was solid, he’d followed the contraption’s underfloor pipes by stomping on the marble tiles.

    The heater will work, she’d inwardly cried. Ten years ago, the manor had been modernized by a young couple who’d stayed for a time.

    Yet she couldn’t relate the merits of Elancourt to this mysterious stranger. Because she was a ghost. The act of speaking, or at least talking in a way that others could hear, had proved impossible for her, as had making herself visible to others.

    Which was probably for the best. Her reflection haunted even her. Though Néomi’s appearance was a close facsimile of how she’d looked the night she died—with the same dress and jewelry—now her skin and lips were as pale as rice paper. Her hair flowed wildly with rose petals tangled in it, and the skin under her eyes was darkened, making her irises seem freakishly blue in contrast.

    She focused on the car again. Deep masculine voices sounded from within it. Was there more than one man?

    Maybe there’d be two more confirmed bachelors like the handsome couple who had lived here during the fifties!

    Whoever was within the car needed to hurry inside. Autumn rains had been tentatively falling, and lightning flared in a building rhythm. She hoped the men didn’t see the front façade by the glow of lightning. With its arches and overhangs and stained glass, the manor could appear . . . forbidding.

    The very Gothic traits she’d admired seemed to drive others away.

    The vehicle began to rock from side to side on its wide wheels, and the voices grew louder. Then came a man’s bellow. Her lips parted when two large boots kicked through the back window, shattering it, glass spraying out into the gravel.

    Someone unseen hauled the booted man back inside, but then a rear door bulged outward. Were cars so weak in this age that a man could kick it out of shape? No, no, she’d dutifully read the crash test reports, and they said—

    The door shot off its hinges, all the way to the front porch. She gasped as a wild-eyed, crazed man lunged out of the vehicle. He was manacled at his wrists and ankles and covered in blood. He crashed into a deep slick of mud, only to be tackled by three men.

    One of them was her prospective tenant from last night.

    They all were covered in blood—because the chained one was spitting it at them as he thrashed.

    No . . . no! he yelled, seeming frenzied not to enter the house. Could he possibly sense more was here than could be seen? No one had before.

    Conrad, stop fighting us! the tenant said through gritted teeth. We don’t want to hurt you. His accent sounded Russian.

    But the madman named Conrad didn’t let up one bit. God damn you, Nikolai! What do you want with me?

    We’re going to rid you of this madness, defeat your bloodlust.

    "You fools! He laughed manically. No one comes back!"

    Sebastian, grab his arms! this Nikolai barked to one of the others. Murdoch, get his damned legs! As Murdoch and Sebastian rushed to action, she realized that they both resembled Nikolai. All three had the same grim expression, the same tall, powerful bodies.

    Brothers. Their captive must be one as well.

    They carried the bloody and flailing Conrad toward the front double doors. Blood in her home. She shuddered. She detested blood, hated the sight of it, the scent of it. She’d never forget how it’d felt to be bathed in her own, to have it thicken and cool around her dying body.

    Hadn’t Elancourt seen enough of it?

    In a panic, she raced downstairs and shot her hands up, exerting an invisible force against the doors. She used all her strength to keep them sealed tight. No one could bust through this hold—

    The doors flew open. The men barreled through her, making her shiver like she’d walked through a cobweb. A gust of wind followed them in to stir the leaves and grit coating the floor.

    Just how strong were they? Yes, they were huge, but she’d held the doors with what had to be the strength of twenty men.

    Once inside the darkened room, Nikolai cast a chain across the floor with no care for her Italian marble.

    The lunatic broke free, making it to his feet. He was towering! He lumbered toward the door, but with his ankles bound, he careened into an antique armoire covered with a sheet. It collapsed under the impact. Crushed.

    She’d had to dance two performances to afford that piece, and remembered lovingly polishing it herself. It was one of the few original furnishings that remained.

    After Murdoch and Sebastian hoisted him out of the wreckage, Murdoch wrapped his thick arm around Conrad’s neck, cupping the back of Conrad’s head with his free hand. Murdoch tightened this hold, his face drawn with the effort, the muscles in his neck standing out with strain.

    Somehow Conrad was unaffected for long moments. Eventually, his thrashing eased, and he went limp. While Murdoch laid him on the ground, Nikolai hastily affixed the chain to the same radiator he’d tested last night, then attached the other end to Conrad’s handcuffs.

    That’s why Nikolai had been inspecting it? Because he intended to jail this lunatic here?

    Why here?

    Could you have found an eerier place to keep him? Sebastian said between breaths as they all stood. At that instant, lightning crackled. The high stained-glass windows were broken in places and cast tinted light, distorting the shadows within.Why not use the old mill?

    Someone might come across him there, Murdoch answered. And Kristoff knows about the mill. If he or his men discover what we’re planning . . .

    Who’s Kristoff? What are they planning?

    Nikolai added, Besides, Elancourt was recommended to me.

    Who would ever recommend this? Sebastian waved a hand around. It looks straight from a horror movie. She wished he was wrong, but a bolt flashed then; hued shadows appeared to slither and pounce. Sebastian raised his brows as if his point had been made.

    Nikolai seemed to study their reactions as he answered, Nïx did.

    Murdoch shrugged and Sebastian nodded grimly.

    Who’s Nïx?

    Sebastian glanced around. Raises my hackles, though—another flash of lightning—almost like it’s . . . haunted.

    Sebastian gets a cookie.

    And you know that’s something for me to say. It’s spooked Conrad as well.

    Yes, because otherwise he clearly would be fine.

    The weather makes it seem worse. Nikolai wiped his face with his shirttail. And if there are spirits lingering about? You forget what we are—any ghosts would do well to fear us.

    Fear them? No living thing could touch her.

    It’s actually ideal because the place scares people away, Nikolai continued over another bout of thunder. And the Valkyrie compound isn’t far from here. Not many from the Lore will venture anywhere near their home.

    Valkyries? Lore? She remembered a newspaper article a few years back on Gang Speak. These men were speaking Gang. They had to be.

    Murdoch said, Perhaps the Valkyries won’t appreciate vampires so close to Val Hall.

    Vampires? Not Gang? They’re all mad. Mon Dieu, I need a bourbon.

    "Is it even habitable?" Sebastian asked in a scoffing voice.

    Nikolai nodded. The structure and the roof are solid—

    As rock.

    —and once we do some modifications, it’ll be suitable for our purposes. We’ll fix only what we need: a couple of bedrooms, a shower, the kitchen. I already had the witches come around today to do an enclosure spell along the perimeter of the estate. As long as Conrad’s wearing those chains, he can’t escape the boundary.

    Witches? Oh, come now! Néomi moved to rub her temple, felt nothing, but was somewhat soothed by the familiar act.

    In the lull, Murdoch cased the main salon, plucking at cobwebs. Conrad knew we were going to be at the tavern.

    No doubt of it, Nikolai answered. He was awaiting us. To kill us.

    Obviously he’s gotten good at it. Sebastian patted his ribs in an assessing manner and winced. Looking more closely, she could see that they all seemed injured in some way. Even Conrad appeared to have been clawed across the chest by some beast. He likes it.

    Likes to kill? A murderer in my home. Again. Was he the same kind of man as Louis, one who would stab a defenseless woman through the heart? Tamp it down, Néomi. The wind picked up. Control the emotion.

    Murdoch said, I suppose he’d have to, if the word about his occupation is true.

    A professional killer?

    Finding him now . . . it couldn’t come at a worse time, Sebastian said. How are we going to manage this?

    Nikolai replied, "We fight a war, deceive our king, try

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