DARKNESS POSSESSED
Order
of the Blade, #9
by Stephanie Rowe
A fatal mistake stripped Zach Roderick of the powers that define
him, leaving him a tormented shadow of the warrior he once was. Now, his
teammate's life depends on Zach resurrecting the fire that once burned within
him. As he undertakes a battle he has no way to win, he is derailed by a
tempestuous beauty that awakens in him the dark desires that destroyed him once
before.
The scars etched on Rhiannon Diaz's soul are so deep that she will
never again be free. The once-powerful guardian is facing her last and greatest
battle, and failure means a return to a sexual enslavement that is far worse
than death. Her intense and passionate need for the powerful warrior who has
vowed to protect her threatens the very foundation of her survival, but his
refusal to abandon her drags them both into a world where wild, untamed passion
rages, and surrender is their only chance.
All books in the Order of the Blade series are intended to be
standalones that can be read in any order. The chronological reading order,
however, is as follows: DARKNESS AWAKENED, DARKNESS SEDUCED, DARKNESS
SURRENDERED, FOREVER IN DARKNESS, DARKNESS REBORN, DARKNESS ARISEN, DARKNESS
UNLEASHED, INFERNO OF DARKNESS, DARKNESS POSSESSED
Four-time RITA® Award nominee and Golden Heart® Award winner
Stephanie Rowe is the nationally bestselling author of more than forty
published novels. Stephanie has received starred reviews from Booklist and high
praise from Publisher's Weekly. Stephanie is the author of the bestselling
Order of the Blade paranormal romance series, and she will be launching a new
vampire series in Sept/Oct 2014. She also writes the intensely passionate Ever
After series, and the gripping Alaska Heat romantic suspense series. She also
published in teen fiction, middle grade fiction, and motivational nonfiction.
GUEST POST:
In an incredible miracle that required the alignment of all the stars in the universe, I am thrilled to announce that I have managed to wrangle together the main players in Darkness Possessed . I'm joined byCalydon Warrior Zach Roderick, his teammate Thano Savakis, and Rhiannon Diaz for a brief interview. It wasn't easy to track them down in the South American jungle, but I managed to catch up with them for a brief moment. "Welcome everyone. Thanks for coming. Let's start with Zach. Zach? What's up with the outfit? Where are your jeans? The Order of the Blade is all about the denim, but you've gone outside the box. "
Zach is wearing black and gray camo pants, a microfiber black shirt, a gray baseball hat, and a pair of lightweight waterproof hiking books. Sweat is gleaming on the back of his neck, and fresh dirt streaks his arms. Strapped to his hip is a machete that is almost as big as Ryland's. His body is relaxed, but it's easy to see his restlessness. He doesn't want to be standing still, talking. He wants to be moving, protecting, guarding. "It's hot down here in the jungle. Jeans limit my movement. It's not that easy to keep up with the natives, you know. I adapt."
Rhiannon grins, a red amulet glistening around her throat. She's wearing camouflage pants similar to Zach's, set low on her hips. Her tank top is black and fitted, showcasing muscles that she didn't use to have. "He's just a big, slow oaf compared to me." She flashes a ruby-hilted dagger with a dangerous blade. "He's lucky I let him stay."
Thano leans back, his arms clasped behind his head as he uses his massive black stallion for backrest. Apollo is lying down, his head over Thano's shoulder. As always, Apollo's brown eyes are constantly moving, always searching for threats to his master. "Don't listen to them," Thano injects. "They're perfect for each other." He leans forward. "They're different, you know. Not like the other Order of the Blade couples. It's better, what they have. Takes grit and hell to get where they are, but it's good shit."
Zach looks over at him and slams his hand on Thano's shoulder. Something passes between the two men, something private that seems loaded with danger and secrets. In that moment, it's easy to see why they are Order of the Blade. Both men are lethal predators, rippling with muscle and a deeper, darker strength that very few possess. What they have been through together has created a tighter bond between them, a bond shared only by those who have been to hell and back together, barely surviving.
Rhiannon turns suddenly, her hand going to the dagger on her hip. Zach spins around at the same moment, moving to stand beside her as they face the jungle toward the east. Their shoulders are touching, a silent camaraderie while they scan the thick foliage. "Do you hear it?" Rhiannon asks.
Zach nods, moving closer to her. The shift in position is subtle, but there's no doubt that he's putting himself in a position to protect her. His need to safeguard her is instinctive, and it says much about the strength of what lies between them. A warrior woman like Rhiannon would not let many men that close to her. "Yeah. What is it?"
She tilts her head, listening. I do the same, but all I hear is the rustling of the jungle, the scrape of small claws on tree trunks, and the melody of birds. That's not what they're listening to, I am sure of it.
She looks at him, and they both nod. "We have to go." Zach says, while Rhiannon takes off in a dead sprint into the jungle. Zach slaps Thano on the shoulder. "Later." Then he, too, is gone, sliding into the darkness of the jungle like a wraith as it swallows them up.
Thano grabs Apollo's mane and swings himself aboard. The sleek, black stallion surges to his feet, his hooves planted in the damp earth. Thano is wearing jeans and hiking boots as he always does, but there is something different about him. A darkness hovering around him, haunting him. He gives me a small salute. "You know where I need to go," he says.
I nod. I do know where he needs to go. "Good luck."
He winks at me. "A real man makes his own luck, and I'm much more of a real man than those old dudes I hang around with, so I'm good." He swings Apollo around, in the opposite direction of Zach and Rhiannon and the horse leaps forward. For a moment, Apollo and his rider are silhouetted against the setting sun as they gallop away, and then they, too,vanish into a world of secrets, darkness, and danger, as is the life of a Calydon.
SNEAK PEAK:
The
jungle smelled rich with the dampness of fertile soil. The trees were alive
with the chatter of birds and the rustle of animals. Rhiannon closed her eyes
and breathed deeply as she let the power of her birthplace roll over her and
seep into her body. The freshness of the air seemed to cleanse her of all the grime
and pollution that had accumulated during her years of living in civilization.
She could almost feel her cells coming back to life and embracing the deep
nourishment of the land she was meant to live in.
She
went down on one knee and crumbled some dirt between her fingers, watching the
rich, brown loam fall back to the ground from which it had come. To her
surprise, she felt her throat tighten, and tears burned in her eyes. She hadn't
realized how much she'd missed being home. It had been two days since she had
left Boston. After much hard traveling, she'd almost reached the region that
had once given her life...and then betrayed her.
A
sudden sound broke through her focus and she went utterly still, listening
intently. Another sound, quiet yet heavy, came from her right, and she
recognized it instantly as the footstep of a creature that was too big to be a
human, but could easily be a heavily armed Calydon. Without taking time to
stand, she pivoted on her knee as she swept an arrow out of her quiver and pulled
her crossbow off her shoulder. In less than a millisecond she nocked an arrow
and had it pointing at the cluster of bushes from which the sound had come.
She
knew she was in the open more than she wanted to be, but relocating into the
trees would attract more attention than staying completely still. Her mottled
brown and green cargo pants and jacket would help her blend into her
surroundings. Even her crossbow still retained the colors of the jungle that
had once been her home.
There
was silence. No movement followed the steps that she had heard, which made her
tension rise even further. Whatever it was had become aware of her, and it was
waiting for her to move in the same way she was anticipating its next step.
Penetrating
silence prevailed, each trying to outwait the other. The muscles in her arms
began to tremble, and she realized how out of shape she was. There had been a
time when she had been able to hold her bow at the ready for hours, outwaiting
even the most patient of enemies. Now, it had been less than a minute and
already her arms were shaking. Her hamstring was cramping from the
uncomfortable position she'd frozen in. A trickle of sweat was slithering down
her brow, and she knew it wouldn't be long before it went into her eye. It
wasn't even hot compared to what the jungle often was, but she could feel the
steam rising off her body, curling her hair, and dampening her clothes.
With
grim trepidation, she realized she had gone soft. She was in no condition to
take on José and think she could walk away. She'd lost to him even when she'd
been fit and in her prime. Now? She couldn’t even hold an arrow ready for more
than a minute. Her pulse began to hammer in her throat, and she willed it to
quiet, knowing that José would be able to hear her heart pounding if he was the
one in the bushes.
Please
don't let it be José. She wasn't ready to face him yet. If she met him
now, she would have no chance. A cold fear gripped her, and
her fingers tightened involuntarily around the arrow, even as she fought to
stay relaxed. Physical tension would throw off her aim. She had to stay loose.
Then
she caught a scent, drifting to her over the complex smells of the jungle. It
was the scent of a man. Not José. A stranger. He smelled of sweat, adrenaline,
and something else. A deeper scent that seemed to reach inside her and unfurl
in her belly. She instantly recognized her response as attraction. Desire.
Lust. Dear God, she wanted this man. Fear gripped her with sudden
cruelty, freezing her muscles and obliterating all thought from her mind except
for a raw terror that screamed at her to run. Run. Run!
Her
instincts knew she had to stay utterly still, but the fear of her attraction to
a man was so deep that she could not make herself stay. Attraction was a trap.
Desire could be twisted to hurt her. Lust was a cruel lie. Wanting a man was
doom, torture, and a hell she'd never survive.
Instead
of staying still and hidden as she should have, panic forced her to act. She
leapt to her feet, spun around, and ran blindly through the forest, her boots
thudding noisily on the ground. Branches tripped her and plants seemed to
spring up out of the earth to grab her ankles. She couldn't even focus enough
to ask them to help her instead of hurting her. Her mind was a swirling miasma
of terror and memories, screaming at her to run and escape while she still had
the chance.
"Hey!"
The man shouted at her, his deep voice booming through the jungle.
The
rich bass of his voice plunged through her flesh and ignited a fire inside her.
A fire of want, longing, and the urge to turn and charge right toward him
instead of away from him. "Oh, God, no. Not again." Tears streamed
down her cheeks as she sprinted through the jungle, not even paying attention
to where she was going. She couldn't remember the layout exactly. Her mind was
fragmented with fear and terror, just as it had been so long ago when she had
run for her life through these very woods. She stumbled over a root and tumbled
to the earth, barely getting her hands out in time to cushion her fall. Her
crossbow jammed into her jawbone and she gasped as the pain shot through her.
She
hadn't even finished falling when she was already back up on her feet, stumbling
as she tried to keep going. Trees loomed above her on all sides, but the
branches were too high for her to reach, and she couldn't focus enough to ask
the trees to help her. Everything she had as a weapon was gone, disintegrated
by the fear ripping through her.
Then
she realized there were heavy footsteps thundering after her, getting closer
and closer. He was chasing her! She put on another burst of speed, her breath
burning her lungs as she fought for air. Her legs were trembling, shaking with
exhaustion as she asked her body to do things it hadn't done in so long.
She
frantically tried to focus enough to take in her surroundings and understand
where she was. She couldn't keep this up. She had to find a way out.She had to—
A
hand closed on her shoulder, and fingers dug into her flesh, pulling her to a
stop.
With
his touch, all conscious thought fled from her mind. She grabbed the dagger
from where it sat on her hip and spun around, striking as she turned. Her blade
hit flesh, plunging deep inside thick muscle before she'd even finished her turn
to see who was after her.
The
dark brands on his forearms told her all she needed to know. It was a Calydon,
and her dagger was in his heart. She spun the rest of the way around, facing
him as he fell.
"Shit!"
The warrior's dark eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled and went down to his
knees.
Rhiannon
ripped her dagger out of his chest and went still, bracing her legs in a ready
position as she held the dagger ready. She knew she had to keep moving, but she
couldn't run anymore. Not yet. She needed time to recover. She had nothing
left. Her breath heaved in her chest as she desperately tried to get air.
She
saw the blood pouring from his chest, and realized she'd struck a clean blow
into the heart. Instinct had shown her where to find a heart on a Calydon,
taking into account his height when she'd made her blind strike. Maybe she
wasn't a total loss. Maybe she still had some of her old skills. Maybe she
still had a chance to survive.
She
took another deep breath, trying to recover from her run. She knew the respite
from his injury wouldn't last long, but the heart had been a good place to hit.
He
looked up at her as he pressed his palm to the wound on his chest. "Why
the hell did you do that?" His voice had the same effect on her as before.
It slithered through her body like a warm, seductive caress of pure temptation.
And now that she could see what he looked like, it was even stronger.
His
eyes were dark brown, flecked with bits of gold. His stare was intense, sinking
deep into her very soul as he gazed at her. She felt herself flush under his
stare, her body pulsing in response to the heat of his attention. For a moment,
the world seemed to freeze, and she was caught in his spell, in his raw
masculinity and strength. His cheekbones were sculpted, giving him a regal
appearance, despite the heavy growth of whiskers and the disheveled dark hair,
which gave him an aura of danger and lethalness that should have terrified
her…but she found herself riveted by him instead.
His
shoulders were broad, but not as broad as José's. Unlike José and his men, who
wore camouflage pants, lean boots, and sported bare chests as if impersonating
some ancient warrior, this Calydon was wearing the garb of civilization. His
blue jeans were dirty and torn. His black T-shirt was loose and ragged. He was
wearing hiking boots, but they appeared to be heavily insulated as if they were
meant for trekking through snow and ice instead of the brutal heat of the
jungle. He didn't look like he belonged to this jungle or to José, but the twin
dark brands on his forearms told her all she needed to know.
He
was a Calydon, and that meant he was a threat, no matter how intense her
reaction to him was. In fact, he was even more dangerous because of the
way she wanted to fall under his spell. Men knew how to take advantage of a
woman's attraction to them. They preyed upon it, twisting it to their
advantage. She knew better than to want a man, but her fingers actually
twitched with the need to lay her hand over his wound and take away his pain,
to feel his flesh beneath her palm, to move closer, and lose herself in the
incredible strength and power of his being.
"Yeah…"
he said softly, his gaze locked onto hers, as if he were having the same intense
reaction to her that she was having to him. "Who are you?" he asked.
"What's your name?"
"Who
am I?" The question jerked her back to the present, to the very real
danger he presented. If he'd been sent to find her, his quest would have to end
now. Even as she thought it, resistance pulsed through her, and she realized
she didn't want to kill him.
Grimly,
she took a step back as she pulled another arrow out of her quiver. She set it
in the bow and aimed it right between his eyes. "What do you want?"
She
needed to know whether he had stumbled across her accidentally, or if José
already knew she was here. Then, once she had her answers, she would do her
best to kill the man kneeling before her.
She
ignored the stab of regret at the notion of killing him. Sure, he smelled
incredible and had eyes that had momentarily melted right through the fear of
men that she kept wrapped so tightly around her. That didn't mean she was going
to make the same mistake that had once almost killed her. Never would she trust
the wrong man, or any man, again.
Never.
He
would have to die. There was simply no other option.
GIVEAWAY!
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I love this series
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