Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
THE BROKEN HEART TURN-BLOODS
GLOSSARY 1
GLOSSARY 2
Teaser chapter
OTHER BOOKS BY MICHELE BARDSLEY
Praise for Michele Bardsley’s Broken Heart Series
Cross Your Heart
“Bardsley’s gift for humor and passion is a reader’s delight. Her newest hero is a sexy and irreverent charmer.... If you’re in need of a mood elevator, this is just what the doctor ordered!”
—Romantic Times
“This story more than keeps the action flowing. Off-the-wall humor, mystery, and a touch of danger add extra zing to Bardsley’s latest paranormal, and fans will be delighted.”
—Library Journal
“Another grab-you-by-the-throat, laugh-out-loud addition to the Broken Heart series. . . . If you thought the inhabitants of Broken Heart were up against some crazy evil before, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
—Fresh Fiction
Come Hell or High Water
“The action and humor are bountiful. Tremendous fun as always!”
—Romantic Times (4½ stars)
“I love paranormal novels and I believe that Michele Bardsley’s Broken Heart series are some of the best there are.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Bardsley has brought us another amazing story . . . [with] endless wit and humor. As always, I will add this to my ever-growing keeper shelf to read over and over again.”
—Night Owl Romance
Over My Dead Body
“I fell into this story hook, line, and sinker. I just couldn’t put it down. . . . It has everything to bring a smile to your face: vampires, werewolves, pixies, dragons, and more.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Michele Bardsley has done it again! This is one of my favorite paranormal series for sheer entertainment value.... Clever, action-packed, and sensual, Over My Dead Body is a helluva page-turner that’s not to be missed!”
—Romance Novel TV
“A great paranormal romance that I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy a fast-paced story that will leave them guessing until the end.”
—Fresh Fiction
Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home
“Has action aplenty and a free-spirited, wittily sarcastic heroine who will delight fans.”
—Booklist
“Bardsley has one of the most entertaining series on the market. The humor and wackiness keep hitting the sweet spot. Add Bardsley to your autobuy list!”
—Romantic Times (top pick)
“Witty. If you like your vampires with a dose of humor, I highly recommend Bardsley’s Broken Heart series.”
—Romance Novel TV
“An enjoyable mix of humor and romance . . . fast-paced, steamy, and all-around entertaining.”
—Darque Reviews
Because Your Vampire Said So
“Lively, sexy, out of this world—as well as in it—fun! Michele Bardsley’s vampire stories rock!”
—New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips
“Another Broken Heart denizen is here in this newest hysterically funny first-person romp. The combination of sexy humor, sarcastic wit, and paranormal trauma is unmistakably Bardsley. Grab the popcorn and settle in for a seriously good time!”
—Romantic Times
Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire
“Cutting-edge humor and a raw, seductive hero make Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire a yummylicious treat!”
—Dakota Cassidy, author of Burning Down the Spouse
“A fabulous combination of vampire lore, parental angst, romance, and mystery. I loved this book!”
—Jackie Kessler, author of My Way to Hell
“A winning follow-up to I’m the Vampire, That’s Why filled with humor, supernatural romance, and truly evil villains.”
—Booklist
I’m the Vampire, That’s Why
“From the first sentence, Michele grabbed me and didn’t let me go! A vampire mom? PTA meetings? A sulky teenager? Throw in a gorgeous, ridiculously hot hero and you’ve got the paranormal romance of the year. Get this one now.”
—MaryJanice Davidson
“Hot, hilarious, one helluva ride.... Michele Bardsley weaves a sexily delicious tale spun from the heart.”
—L.A. Banks
“A fun, fun read!”
—Rosemary Laurey
“Michele Bardsley has penned the funniest, quirkiest, coolest vampire tale you’ll ever read. It’s hot and funny and sad and wonderful, the kind of story you can’t put down and won’t forget. Definitely one for the keeper shelf.”
—Kate Douglas
“A marvelous introduction to the world of vampires and werewolves . . . funny and filled with explosive sexual tension.”
—The Romance Readers Connection
OTHER BOOKS BY MICHELE BARDSLEY
Paranormal Romances
Never Again
Cross Your Heart
Come Hell or High Water
Over My Dead Body
Because Your Vampire Said So
Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home
Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire
I’m the Vampire, That’s Why
Erotica
Cupid Inc.
Fantasyland
SIGNET ECLIPSE
Published by New American Library, a division of
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First published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
First Printing, September 2011
Copyright © Michele Bardsley, 2011 All rights reserved
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To Keegan James,
who changed the world, and our lives, and our hearts,
and everything
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I owe a great deal of gratitude (and booze) to author and friend Mark Henry (www.markhenry.us), who briefly redonned his psychotherapist’s hat to answer my questions. All mistakes—and interpretations—are mine. (And yeah, I still think it’s hilarious to diagnose a real werewolf with clinical lycanthropy.)
I also owe thanks to Jeff Strand (www.jeffstrand.com), creator of one of my all-time favorite characters, Andrew Mayhem. Jeff unknowingly donated his name to Kelsey’s pug puppy. Yes, I often victimize—er, honor—my friends in unique ways. Ahem.
I’d like to express my appreciation to the usual suspects, who deserve gold medals for all their efforts on my behalf: Stephanie Kip Rostan—aka Agent Awesome—and her sidekick, Monika Verma, and everyone at Levine Greenberg; the goddess of editors, Laura Cifelli, and her assistant, Jesse Feldman (who secretly runs the world and who totally named this book), and the wonderful team at NAL; to my BFFs, whose support and love sustain me; and to the League of Reluctant Adults, who make me laugh every day (whether they mean to or not): www.leagueofreluctantadults.com.
And finally, I would like to thank my Minions, and all my fans everywhere, for buying my books and thereby contributing to my chocolate fund. I adore you all.
“Who are YOU?” said the Caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “One can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
—Through the Looking Glass
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Three years have passed since Cross Your Heart, which makes it eight years since the Consortium rolled into Broken Heart. Every so often, I think the citizens of Oklahoma’s paranormal community deserve a break from chaos.
But obviously that break is soooo over.
Most of the children you met in I’m the Vampire, That’s Why are grown, and should no doubt start having adventures of their own. (Who knows, right? There are still a lot of stories to tell.) The last time you saw Adulfo, he was twelve. And now he’s twenty. Those werewolves grow up so fast!
Speaking of werewolves, this story is Damian’s. Well, it’s Kelsey and Damian’s. I know a lot of you have been waiting for the crown prince of lycanthropes to get some love. Me, too. I’m very happy that I was finally able to write not only his story, but also to delve more deeply into the world of lycanthropes.
You should probably know that I’m not a planner. Or a plotter. I don’t actually know what’s going to happen until it happens, and a lot of times I’m just as surprised as you are. For example: When I starting thinking about the kind of heroine that would appeal to Damian, a young psychotherapist empath was not anywhere on that list. Also, once in a while I write something in one book that really screws me up in another, so I have to find ways to explain why I’m undoing or redoing stuff. I should blame the characters in Broken Heart who keep a lot of secrets, even from me.
I’ve also noticed that I tend to start my Broken Heart novels with the hero naked. No one’s complained, but I really didn’t do it on purpose. (I will from now on, however.)
Oh, and you probably want to know that Schätzchen is a German endearment that means “little treasure.” You’ll find a couple of glossaries and some other helpful information at the back of the book, so if you wanna thumb through it now—well, okay. I won’t stop you.
There’s a small mention about the pool at the home of Dr. Stan Michaels and his wife, Linda. If you want to know how they got that particular addition, then you’ll have to read the short story, “Tuesday, the 13th.” It’s included in the free e-book The Adventures of Zombie Larry, which can be downloaded at my Web site: www.michelebardsley.com.
Legends of the Lycans
It is said that the Moon Goddess wanted children, so she took her wolf form and mated with an alpha named Tark.
She gave birth to twins. The firstborn was a wolf of black. And the second, a wolf of gray. Her elder son had the ability to turn from human to wolf. However, her second-born could assume his wolf nature only on the night of the full moon.
The Moon Goddess’s sons grew up, and soon they wanted wives and families. The Goddess offered her firstborn a beautiful female wolf, which she gave the ability to shift into a human. To her second-born, the Goddess gave a beautiful female human. Since her son assumed his wolf form only during the full moon, she gave his mate the same ability.
And so some lycanthropes are full-bloods, shifting whenever they need to, and others are the Roma, shifting only during the full moon.
This is the story told for generations from father to son, mother to daughter, of the lycanthrope heritage.
It is, however, a lie.
We must also consider the unexpected branch of the lycanthrope family tree: the loup de sang.
In 1807 a small group of loup-garou emigrated from France to the town of Vincennes, the capital city in Indian Territory. Among the newest arrivals was the widow Chantelle Marchand, who was eight months pregnant. She made the long, treacherous journey to the United States to join the pack of her father, Jacques Marchand.
Not long after Chantelle arrived, a territorial dispute erupted among the loup-garou and the deamhan fola—vampires. The pregnant widow was among the casualties of a short but brutal skirmish. Unfortunately, the vampire who killed her also tried to Turn her.
As she lay dying, her father delivered triplets: The first was a son, Gabriel, and then a girl, Anise, and another son, Ren—all with the same strange condition. They were alive, but could gain nourishment only from blood. Gabriel was given to a lycan outcast. Anise and Ren were sent to live among the Vedere psychics.
Marchand’s grandchildren were the first-ever blood-drinking lycanthropes, and it was Marchand who coined the term loup de sang. However, in his diary, he wrote only about the birth of Gabriel. He never mentioned Gabriel’s siblings.
So for reasons unknown, Marchand lied, too . . .
Then, years ago, when renowned prophet Astria Vedere was still very young, she made a prophecy:
A vampire queen shall come forth from the place of broken hearts. The seven powers of the Ancients will be hers to command. She shall bind with the outcast, and with this union, she will save the dual-natured. With her consort, she will rule vampires and lycanthropes as one.
Alas, this, too, is a lie.
Well . . . sorta.
None of these tales include a whisper about the only known royal lycans—the triplet princes of all werewolves who are neither full-bloods nor Roma nor loup de sang.
The story of their origin is not a lie.
It’s a secret.
Chapter 1
The man was naked.
I pressed my palms against the reinforced steel door, already on my tippy toes, and peered through the small square window made of shatterproof glass. Beneath the window was a narrow slot that allowed sound to escape, which was the only way to speak to the patient inside. The setup was old-school, and a prime example of the many quirks at the Dante Clinic.
He paced endlessly, emulating an animal in a cage. It bothered me how close the analogy was to the truth. However, the safety of the staff and the other patients took precedence over his comfort. How soon he got out was entirely up to him . . . and, well, me. I was still getting used to being in charge of the clinic. I’d been given control over an entire building and the people within it after I’d already proven—in public, no less—how incapable I was of controlling myself.
Must Love Lycans Page 1
