To love a Dark One is to invite death...
It is wrong to love her.
It is worse to want her.
It is sin to consume her.
I desire all three.
I've been given thirty days to prove my love to another immortal--as a human. Cursed to use nothing but the side of myself I've always despised to win her affection. I am Cassius, the King of the immortals, A Dark One.
And today I tasted fear for the first time.
How can I win her when my human emotions over take every ounce of logic I possess?
A darkness is brewing.
One I cannot stop as a human.
One that Stephanie, my loves visions, have shown, will be my end.
Thirty days ago I was King of the immortals.
Today I know fear.
Today I know how I will die.
By her hand.
The woman I love.
4 Light and Dark Stars
I love Rachel Van Dyken and I love The Dark Ones Saga. Untouchable Darkness is a standalone and is part of the The Dark Ones Saga.
This is Cassius’ story.
I loved the first book and Cassius super intrigued me. There was something about his tortured self that just pulled me towards him. You don’t have to read the first book to understand this one, but to get the full effect you should start the series from the beginning.
I love Cassius and Stephanie’s story because it’s so painful and tragic, but I love it when the Hero kind of watches after the Heroine for many years.
Cassius wasn’t painted in the best light in The Dark Ones and I feel like Untouchable Darkness really tries hard to help us understand who he is, where he came from and why he does what he does. I am not a fan of flashbacks, especially when the flashbacks deal with other characters, but I really enjoyed that part of the book. The flashbacks touch important parts of Cassius past and with his relationship with Sarial.
You get the previous characters, but the whole book reflects on Cassius and since he’s one of my favorites, I was in heaven.
Cassius and Stephanie’s relationship isn’t easy, but I love how open and exposed Cassius was. I loved that he was slightly weaker than Stephanie and he in some ways had to come to terms with his actions and choices.
Overall, if you are a Cassius fan, you will not be disappointed.
I love Rachel Van Dyken and I love The Dark Ones Saga. Untouchable Darkness is a standalone and is part of the The Dark Ones Saga.
This is Cassius’ story.
I loved the first book and Cassius super intrigued me. There was something about his tortured self that just pulled me towards him. You don’t have to read the first book to understand this one, but to get the full effect you should start the series from the beginning.
I love Cassius and Stephanie’s story because it’s so painful and tragic, but I love it when the Hero kind of watches after the Heroine for many years.
Cassius wasn’t painted in the best light in The Dark Ones and I feel like Untouchable Darkness really tries hard to help us understand who he is, where he came from and why he does what he does. I am not a fan of flashbacks, especially when the flashbacks deal with other characters, but I really enjoyed that part of the book. The flashbacks touch important parts of Cassius past and with his relationship with Sarial.
You get the previous characters, but the whole book reflects on Cassius and since he’s one of my favorites, I was in heaven.
Cassius and Stephanie’s relationship isn’t easy, but I love how open and exposed Cassius was. I loved that he was slightly weaker than Stephanie and he in some ways had to come to terms with his actions and choices.
Overall, if you are a Cassius fan, you will not be disappointed.
An ARC was provided.
I got to meet Rachel at the RT book signing. She's really that pretty in person. I thinks she's so talented and I love that she can write serious and comical books. She's one of the few authors that can make me laugh and cry at the same time. I was bummed I missed Thor and husband! I can't wait to see her again when she comes back to Texas in October. I'm on the watch-out for baby and hubbie. More photos - > HERE
From The Dark Ones, Book 1
I still tasted her blood on my lips, was embarrassed for the first time in a century when Alex glanced up from his spot at the kitchen table to see me licking my lips like I'd just devoured the poor girl.
He shook his head. "Been that long, huh?""Alex…" I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. "…remind me why I let you live here?"
"I'm good-looking," he answered simply. "Besides, I'm a hell of a fighter — scrappy, I think is how you define my kind. You need me."
"Stop." I pressed my fingertips to my temples and rubbed. The ache to have her had consumed me so much that I'd run down the stairs moving so fast I'd nearly collided with a wall, and grabbed blood from the fridge.
I didn't need it.
But I craved it.
And if I didn't drink the donated blood, I sure as hell was going to drain her and enjoyed very last drop.
"I wonder…" Alex's voice pierced my thoughts. "What's it like?" He leaned forward. "Having to learn self-control all over again… being as ancient as you are?"
I ignored him.
He kept talking.
"Blood-free for a century and now…" He grinned and licked his lips. "Kind of like falling off the wagon, yeah?"
"You're giving me a headache." I threw the empty bag of blood at his face. He moved to the side and snickered. "And I'm fine. Everything is just—"
Her smell was intoxicating. She was walking down the stairs, so her heart picked up speed, her body giving off a scent of burnt vanilla and oranges with a hint of sugar. My mouth literally watered.
"Fine?" Alex said in a mocking voice. "Was that what you were going to say? Damn, man show a little decorum, you look… starved."
"I am," I whispered and fought the urge to rock back and forth. That was the problem with mating — with bonding. Nothing tasted like her, nothing ever would, and typically, having her as my mate gave me full access.
But the more I took…
The stronger the bond.
And the more I wanted…
It was a vicious overwhelming cycle. It would lead me to become emotionally invested while she, as a human, could simply pretend.
It wasn't fair.
Immortals, in essence, were cursed with a deep desire to be like a human — to possess them, to bond with them forever — while humans only felt the same draw to us if they actually loved us.
Ridiculous.
"Oh, there you are." Stephanie pushed Genesis forward and pulled out a chair.
Slowly, Genesis took a seat and glared at each one of us. "Where's Mason?"
It shouldn't have pissed me off.
But it had.
"He's none of your concern," I spat.
"Easy!" Alex chuckled. "Rule number one, don't ask your mate where the other dude is. Just… don't."
Genesis blinked at Alex then back at me. "Because you guys have the capacity for jealousy."
Alex whistled while Stephanie laughed.
Immortals were the most jealous beings on the planet. Had her school taught her nothing?
Was I to be her tutor as well?
"So…" Alex trained his eyes on her, putting her at as much ease as he could without stopping her poor heart. "Now that the mating is complete, you get to learn all about us and service your man here." He slapped my back.
Really. Really. Poor choice of words.
Genesis paled.
I rolled my eyes. "He's kidding."
Alex laughed. "I think it needs to be said that having a human at the house has already helped my mood immensely."
"That makes one of you," Genesis said under her breath.
Alex leaned forward and whispered, "Ethan, try not to be so grouchy. Keep the fangs in and all."
I extended them just to prove a point.
Genesis recoiled.
I instantly felt guilty.
Damn it.
"You won't…" I licked my lips. "You won't have to service me, as Alex so delicately put it."
"Is that what mates do?" Genesis asked, her eyes searching mine. "They…" She lifted her hands into the air and dropped them.
"If that's what you think they do, we have a very big problem." Alex mimicked her movements and winked.
She blushed.
I hissed at him and returned my attention to her. "It's like a human relationship, only stronger. You'll attend functions with me, be by my side, at my beck and call for as long as you live."
I didn't want to say until one day she just didn't wake up. It sounded too cruel.
"And when I'm bored out of my mind… I do what?" She crossed her arms. "I mean, what could you possibly need from me?"
"Adorable." Alex sighed happily. "I'm so glad we kept her."
"Alex…" I was two seconds away from slamming him into the nearest wall. "Make yourself useful and find our human a snack."
"I'm not a pet!" Genesis yelled. "And I'm not your human!"
"You are," I yelled right back, "mine!"
"Kids." Stephanie stepped between us.
I didn't even realize I'd gotten out of the chair and was towering over her, fangs out, hands raised. She'd turned me into a monster. And still, my eyes found her erratic pulse. One more taste…
"Ethan—" Stephanie pushed against my chest. I didn't move. "Ethan!"
"Friend…" Mason walked into the room. "Sit your ass down before she hands it to you."
"Like she could!" I roared.
"Like I have!" Stephanie pushed me again. "Don't tempt me… again."
I sat, while Mason made his way over to Genesis and offered an easy smile. The man had nothing to smile about, yet he was smiling — at my mate.
I growled.
Mason gave me the finger and kept his attention trained on Genesis. "How do you feel?"
"Better." She returned his smile and squeezed his outstretched hand. "Thanks for not… killing me when I asked."
"Damn…" Alex said from the kitchen.
"You were in pain." Mason shrugged. "And I'm glad you're alright."
"She's fine. We're fine. Everything's fine," I said through clenched teeth. "Now it's probably time to give her answers before she thinks she can run off and actually survive in the real world without being hunted by a Dark One, or worse, found by Cassius."
"He isn't all bad," Stephanie said defensively.
We all glared at her.
"What?" She lifted her hands into the air. "I'm just saying he's been trying as hard as we have. So what if he's gotten a bit possessive over the last few numbers that have been called."
Alex slammed his fist onto the table. "He stole Ethan's—"
"Enough." I held up my hand. The pain in my chest grew until it was hard to breathe. I knew what would take that pain away.
Genesis.
But I was too angry to ask for it. Too ashamed to fall to my knees in front of a mere mortal and beg for her to end the pain by allowing me one solitary drop of her blood.
As if on cue, another bag of blood hit me in the head.
Alex must have sensed my mood.
I bit into it and looked away from Genesis's horrified expression.
Other Books by Rachel
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The Eagle Elite Series
Elite #1 AMAZON | REVIEW
Elect #2 AMAZON | REVIEW
Entice #3 AMAZON | REVIEW
Elicit #4 AMAZON | REVIEW
Ember #5 AMAZON | REVIEW
Elude #6 Pre-Order AMAZON
Bang Bang (Novella) AMAZON | REVIEW
The BET series
The Bet #1 AMAZON | REVIEW
The Wager #2 AMAZON | REVIEW
The Dare #3 AMAZON
The RUIN series
Toxic #2 AMAZON
The Eagle Elite Series
Elite #1 AMAZON | REVIEW
Elect #2 AMAZON | REVIEW
Entice #3 AMAZON | REVIEW
Elicit #4 AMAZON | REVIEW
Ember #5 AMAZON | REVIEW
Elude #6 Pre-Order AMAZON
Bang Bang (Novella) AMAZON | REVIEW
The BET series
The Bet #1 AMAZON | REVIEW
The Wager #2 AMAZON | REVIEW
The Dare #3 AMAZON
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
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