Dianne Duvall: Night Reigns

Ami stiffened. “You make it sound like I’m the only one they want. If that were true, they wouldn’t have drugged the immortals the night the vampire king captured me. They would have killed them. The last of the vampires just stood there, waiting for Marcus and the others to lose consciousness. Then they were going to move in and take them prisoner.”

“Keegan wanted the immortals,” Seth stated. “This commander wants you.”

She huffed in disbelief. “Do you honestly believe, after seeing the tape of the battle, that this man doesn’t want to get his hands on every immortal he can? Immortals are just as much of an anomaly as I am.”

Marcus spoke up, his desire to defeat their enemies trounced by his need to keep Ami safe. “I’m sure he would like to get his hands on us, Ami. But we aren’t as vulnerable as you are. We’re immortal.”

Her chin jutted out stubbornly. “Yes, you’re stronger. You’re faster. But, you’re conveniently forgetting just how hard it is to kill me.”

Marcus stiffened.

“You haven’t had a chance to read the files Darnell decrypted, the ones that detail the experiments they performed on me. If you had, you’d understand that I’m damned near as immortal as you are.”

“I don’t want them getting their hands on you,” he gritted out. He couldn’t stand the idea of her being tortured again and feared what it might do to her emotionally and psychologically.

“They won’t,” she insisted.

“You know we can’t guarantee that.”

“If they catch me, you’ll rescue me.”

He damned sure would. But what would happen to her before he found her?

Marcus looked to the others for help.

Darnell leaned forward, his face earnest. “The one fear you’ve been unable to overcome, Ami, is your fear of doctors and labs. It’s still nearly paralyzing in its intensity. Are you really prepared to risk ending up in one of their labs again?”

Damn. Marcus was glad he hadn’t been the one to ask that question. Ami loathed the fear the butchers had instilled in her and would not appreciate its being pointed out to her.

“Yes,” she said. “I would.”

Marcus stared at her in bewilderment. “Why?”

She smiled and held up her left hand, the silver ring gleaming. “Have you forgotten so quickly? I go where you go, Marcus. Your family is my family. And family members don’t take off running to ensure their own safety and leave the others to fight when danger strikes. They stand together.”

“Roland would dispute that,” Chris commented dryly. Ami smiled. But when she next met Marcus’s gaze, her pretty eyes turned flinty. “Besides, I want to help you catch the monsters who hurt me. And when we do ... I want to make them beg for the mercy they denied me.”

He hadn’t thought of that: her need to seek and obtain justice.

“We can’t deny her vengeance,” David stated.

The other men nodded.

Marcus didn’t like it, but had to agree. It was her right.

Chris shook his head. “Brave as hell. Stubborn as a mule. Thirsty for revenge. She’s definitely one of the family.”

Ami laughed with delight.

The tension in the room eased. Hands reclaimed utensils and once more began carrying food to hungry mouths.

Marcus touched Ami’s chin, drew her gaze back to his. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Are you angry?”

“No. I want you to be happy. If that means staying here, then we will.”

“Thank you.”

Ducking his head, he pressed his lips to hers. Her tongue gave his a teasing stroke. Electricity shot through his veins.

Marcus wondered how rude it would be—on a scale of one to ten—if he were to drag Ami away from the celebration feast so he could make love to her again in the Quiet Room.

That would be a ten, Seth answered telepathically.

Marcus scowled at him. Damn it! Stay out of my head!

I can’t help it. I’ve had to tiptoe around you for almost a decade. Now that I’m free to irritate you at will, I find it exceedingly entertaining.

Marcus grumbled and growled inwardly, then thought of a way to teach Seth a lesson: He pictured himself naked.

Seth grimaced. Ugh! All right! All right! I’m out!

“Something wrong?” Ami asked, eyeing them both curiously.

Marcus smiled down at her. “No.”

“Good.” The corners of her lips curled up in a sly smile as she peeked up at him from beneath her lashes. Do you think they’d miss us if we snuck down to the Quiet Room to fool around?

Marcus would have laughed if fiery desire hadn’t shot through his whole body at the sound of her voice in his head. I’m afraid so.

She wrinkled her nose in disappointment, though he knew she was enjoying the family gathering.

“Don’t worry,” he murmured. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

He grinned. “I certainly hope so.”

DARKNESS DAWNS

In this dazzling, sensual novel, Dianne Duvall beckons readers into a world of vampires, immortals, and humans with extraordinary gifts ... where passion can last forever, if you’re willing to pay the price ...

Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class.

Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control ...

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah.

But asking her to love him is impossible—when it means forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect ...

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Copyright © 2011 by Leslie Duvall

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ISBN: 978-1-4201-2545-0

ISBN-10: 1-4201-1862-5