Gena Showalter - The Darkest Touch

From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes the long-awaited story of Torin, the most dangerous Lord of the Underworld yet…

Fierce immortal warrior. Host to the demon of Disease. Torin’s every touch causes sickness and death—and a worldwide plague. Carnal pleasure is utterly forbidden, and though he has always overcome temptation with an iron will, his control is about to shatter.

She is Keeleycael. The Red Queen. When the powerful beauty with shocking vulnerabilities escapes from a centuries-long imprisonment, the desire that simmers between her and Torin is scorching. His touch could mean her end, but resisting her is the hardest battle he’s ever fought—and the only battle he fears he can’t win.

Praise for New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author GENA SHOWALTER

‘Showalter’s signature blend of sizzling attraction, breath–taking worlds, and lethal stakes rocks me every time!’

—Sylvia Day

‘Another sizzling page-turner… Gena Showalter delivers an utterly spell-binding story!’

—Kresley Cole

‘One of Showalter’s biggest strengths is her ability to create wounded characters who are riveting and intense, but who also hold out the hope of redemption.’

—RT Book Reviews on Beauty Awakened

‘Showalter does her magic with an intricately developed world, complex and intensive character arcs and dark, compelling paranormal themes. She releases that literary punch to the gut with excruciatingly detailed scenes that haunt the senses long after reading the pages.’

—USA TODAY on Wicked Nights

‘Gena Showalter knows how to keep readers glued to the pages and smiling the whole time.’

—Lara Adrian

Also available from Gena Showalter

MIRA Angels of the Dark seriesWICKED NIGHTS BEAUTY AWAKENED BURNING DAWN

Lords of the Underworld seriesTHE DARKEST NIGHT THE DARKEST KISS THE DARKEST PLEASURE THE DARKEST WHISPER DARK BEGINNINGS THE DARKEST PASSION THE DARKEST LIE THE DARKEST SECRET THE DARKEST SURRENDER THE DARKEST SEDUCTION THE DARKEST CRAVING

MIRA InkINTERTWINED UNRAVELLED TWISTED

White Rabbit ChroniclesALICE IN ZOMBIELAND ALICE THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS THE QUEEN OF ZOMBIE HEARTS

www.mirabooks.co.uk

GENA SHOWALTERis the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the Lords of the Underworld series, Angels of the Dark and White Rabbit Chronicles. She has written over forty novels and novellas. Her books have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines, and have been translated into multiple languages.

To learn more about Gena and her books, please visit www.genashowalter.comand www.genashowalterblogspot.com.

Over the years I have been unbelievably blessed. I have met some amazing people and made incredible, lifelong friendships. I’m looking at you, Kresley Cole. You are gorgeous, brilliant, witty and talented, and you inspire me in so many ways. THANK YOU!

I’m also looking at you, Jill Monroe. You’ve been around for all the highs and lows, cheering me on, offering comfort. You never hesitated to say yes when I called and said, ‘Let’s get away for a few days.’ Even better—you never hesitated when I somehow managed to book us a honeymoon suite. Twice.

To my amazing editor Emily Ohanjanians. You aren’t afraid to tell me when something doesn’t work and then guide me toward something better, and I’m so grateful! Remember my first attempt at writing this book? Well, I’m super glad no one else will have the chance. LOL

And to Naomi Lahn, my contest winner. You are a delight and your support is beyond appreciated!

“What’s my sign? Cancer.”

—Torin, Lord of the Underworld

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Also available from Gena Showalter

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Epigraph

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

EPILOGUE

Lords of the Underworld Glossary of Characters and Terms

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

“DON’T DIE . Don’t you dare die.” Frantic, Torin dug through a backpack crammed with clothing, weapons and medical supplies. He’d packed it days ago, blindly filling it with everything he’d thought he might need. There was no mouth guard. Fine. He’d proceed without one.

He hurried to his companion’s motionless form, straddled her waist. Her precious life slipped away with every second that passed. CPR was a last resort, but suddenly her only hope, and because they were locked inside a dungeon, no one else inside their cell, the responsibility belonged to him alone. The guy who’d rarely ever come this close to another person.

Just call me Wonder Doc.

He flattened his gloved hands over Mari’s delicate chest— still, too still. But rather than proceed as he should have, he found himself pausing to savor the rare and extraordinary connection with the opposite sex. So soft. So luscious.

What the hell am I doing? Jaw clenched, he pushed.

Crack.

Too hard. He’d just broken her sternum and probably several of her ribs.

Guilt pierced straight through his heart, and if the organ hadn’t already been shredded beyond repair, it might have hurt. Sweat trickled down his temples as he pressed against Mari’s chest more gently. Nothing else broke. Good. Okay. He pressed again and again, gradually increasing his speed. But how fast was too fast? What helped? What damaged?

“Come on, Mari.” She was human, but strong. Fragile, but resilient. “Stay with me. You can survive this, I know you can.”

Her head lolled to the side, her glassy eyes staring out at nothing.

“No. No!” He checked her for a pulse, waited...but never felt even the weakest of beats.

As he returned his hands to her chest to start over, his gaze locked on her blood-splattered lips; his mind willed them to part, a cough to escape. It would mean the sickness still plagued her, but sick was better than dead any day of the week.

“Mari, please.” He heard the desperation in his voice, didn’t care. I can’t be the one to kill someone so sweet.

Torin pushed harder, heard another crack.

Hell. He wasn’t some pansy crier, but damn if tears didn’t scald the backs of his eyes.

He’d come to think of this girl as a friend, and despite the numerous centuries he’d lived, he didn’t have many of those. He always protected the ones he had.

Until her.

If not for him, she never would have sickened in the first place.