As Marcus Finch tries to convince her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney Sage, an alchemist who serves to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires, searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches.
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists. Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . . Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.
The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series, Bloodlines Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought. Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.
Niarmit has, for the moment, escaped the curse of the Great Helm and the grasp of the Dark Lord. Accepting at last a destiny which she never sought, her hopes of uniting the Salved people now rest on the uncertain loyalty of Prince Rugan and his army. Dema the Medusa broods in the captured fortress of Listcairn consumed by a rage for glory, to the consternation of friend and enemy alike. Hepdida strives to live up to Niarmit's expectations but finds that old nightmares can still haunt her days and that a palace can hold more peril than a battlefield. And through it all, Maelgrum weaves his malice as the guilty and the innocent are driven to fulfil his millennium long wait for revenge. *** The Medusa's hood was down and her mask was off as she carved, bit and stoned her way towards Rugan's standard. Even her allies gave her and her steed a wide birth as, at the peak of her powers and the crest of her rage, she swept all before her. A silver soldier, braver than the rest, dared to ride near and catch her sword with his. Their blades both wet with blood of different hues, slid down until they were locked hilt to hilt. "Major, no," a voice called. "Leave this abomination to me." Too late, the soldier's eyes met the Medusa's sparkling gaze and with an inward breath he turned to overbalanced stone. His mount buckled beneath the weight and the leaning statue of the rider toppled against Dema's palfrey. As the horse slid and skittered its way free of the falling new formed masonry, Dema slipped from the listing saddle and turned to face the owner of the voice.
Alastor Cerberius is a troubled man. After over a century enslaved in the oppressive underground, he and his best friend, Koby Bacia, escape their chains. They emerge onto the surface a new world full of the unknown, freedom, and discovery. Desperate to leave his tragic past behind, Alastor changes his name to Calder and delves into the dangerous blood science of shapeshifting. With the new ability to transform into a lethal lizard at will, Calder finally has power after a lifetime of captivity. Calder and Koby answer the ocean's call with dreams of smuggling illegal goods as mercenary sailors. This is easier said than done, for the seas are full of horrors of their own, and each time Calder transforms into the beast, it further scars his damaged psyche. Worst of all, a botched business deal puts them at odds with a criminal ring of pirates that are determined to remain the greatest threat on the seas. Origins of the Tainted Bloodline is Book 1 of a character-driven origin trilogy in the Six Elements universe. Reading the completed Six Elements series is recommended but not required. Origins of the Tainted Bloodline explores adult themes (tragedy, torture, psychological trauma, sexual and substance abuse) and contains graphic violence, gore, sexual situations, and cursing.
The brilliant retelling of the Wars of the Roses continues with Bloodline, the gripping third novel in the new series from historical fiction master Conn Iggulden. Winter 1461: Richard, duke of York, is dead—his ambitions in ruins, his head spiked on the walls of the city. King Henry VI is still held prisoner. His Lancastrian queen, Margaret of Anjou, rides south with an army of victorious northerners, accompanied by painted warriors from the Scottish Highlands. With the death of York, Margaret and her army seem unstoppable. Yet in killing the father, Margaret has unleashed the sons. Edward of March, now duke of York, proclaims himself England’s rightful king. Factions form and tear apart as snow falls. Through blood and treason, through broken men and vengeful women, brother shall confront brother, king shall face king. Two men can always claim a crown—but only one can keep it. Following Margaret of Anjou, Bloodline is the third epic installment in master storyteller Conn Iggulden’s new Wars of the Roses series. Fans of the Game of Thrones and the Tudors series will be gripped from the word “go.”
Cai, a thief in seventh-century Constantinople, finds himself held captive on a trading ship bound for Britain--the home his father, a ruthless barbarian assassin, fled long ago--where he discovers that his Anglish captors know more about the secrets of his family than he does.
Five years ago, Keelyn Blake’s armed, mentally ill stepfather took her family hostage in their house in rural Colorado. She and her half-sister Raven made it out alive, but others did not. Authorities blamed the father’s frequent hallucinations about a being named Lucent, but in the end, even the best of the FBI’s hostage negotiators failed to overcome the man’s delusions and end the standoff peacefully. Now, Lucent is back, and he’s no hallucination. In fact, he is a very real person with dangerous motives. He has kidnapped Raven’s daughter, and--Keelyn worries--maybe has hurt Raven as well. Though she is estranged from her sister, Keelyn feels the immediate need to find Raven and save what family she has left. But when others who were involved in that fateful day start dying, some by mysterious circumstances, Keelyn wonders if she can emerge unscathed a second time.
Three alphas forced to play nice for the sake of their mate-fated to a she-wolf kissed by the divine and cursed with gold. All my life, I wanted a family. Nothing fancy... Just someone to call my own, to love and respect me. A true partner. Somehow, fate decided I deserved three such mates. Sure, we're a mess right now. We struggle. We argue. We fail to connect. But nothing and no one is born perfect. Anything worth fighting for takes work. Blood, sweat, and tears: I'd shed all that and more if it means we have a perfect forever. But a dead goddess has other plans for me, turning Lady Fate's blessing into a nightmare. If Ewan, Lucian, and Soren see the monster I've become, they'll kick me out. Send me away. Abandon me in the forest as the darkness closes in, loneliness so suffocating I think I might die. Again. So, for now, the secret stays with me. Gull River gave me golden eyes-no hiding that. But the rest? All mine. If I want to keep this fantasy, these mates who sing to my wild soul, I'll hide this curse until fate forces my hand. Until the evil lurking in Redwood Grove finally rips us apart-and brings this pack to its knees. The Bloodline trilogy is a why-choose wolf shifter romance that features fated mates but not insta-love. It is intended for readers 18+, and has cliffhangers at the end of books 1 and 2. No cheating. No rejected mates.