Table of Contents
Praise for the Authors ofOn the Hunt
New York TimesBestselling Author Gena Showalter
Bold and witty, sexy and provocative.
New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips
Shannon K. Butcher
Unique, magnetic, and unbelievably fantasticI love Shannon K. Butcher!
New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon
Explosive passion and a touch of tenderness combine with fast-paced action.
Library Journal
Jessica Andersen
Raw passion, dark romance, and seat-of-your-pants suspense.
New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward
Andersens got game when it comes to style and voice.
New York Times bestselling author
Suzanne Brockmann
Deidre Knight
Knight expertly blends scorching passion, gritty danger, and a wildly creative plot.
Chicago Tribune
EVER NIGHT
GENA SHOWALTER
Chapter One
Meal-on-wheels, eighteen-year-old Rose Pascal thought hysterically. Thats me.
The bars of her cage rattled as the creatures whod captured her only an hour before steered her toward a large tent hidden among a thicket of gnarled trees. What awaited her in there... Would it be worse than what surrounded her?
Bile burned her throat. These menthingswere tall and muscled, with razor-sharp horns spiking down the center of their skulls, black scales that somehow looked as smooth as glass, and too-white fangs peeking from between bloodstained lips. The worst, though, was their glowing red eyes. Hungry eyes. Watching her, eager.
Frigid rain pounded from an onyx sky, splashing between the four-by-four iron that imprisoned her. She huddled in a corner, arms around her middle, shivering and freaked. Today was her birthday. Shed stayed up late, hoping to greet midnightand thereby the shedding of her adolescencewith a laugh and call to her best friend, Claire. But the moment her clock changed from 11:59 to 12:00, her world had utterly shifted.
The indigo walls of her bedroom had faded, as had her bed, her desk, and her computer, only to be replaced by this dark, hammering rain. Shed spun, searching for something, anything familiar. No panic, though. Not yet. Perhaps shed fallen asleep, shed mused, and nightmares now plagued her.
But the silly hope had lasted only a moment. The monsters had already scented her, racing to reach her before she could figure out what had happened and where she was. Panic? Oh, yes. A tidal wave of it. The creatures had pawed at her, uncaring as she fought and screamed, and tossed her into this cage.
What shed known thenshed never been here before. What she knew nowshe never wanted to return. How had she gotten to this place? She still had no clue. The... things had tried to talk with her before jolting into motion, but they spoke in a language shed never heard and they clearly didnt understand hers.
The cart stopped abruptly, and she gulped. Theyd reached the tent. Her heart pounded against her ribs as one of the creatures unlatched the door, the heavy thunk jolting her into action.
No! When he stretched an arm inside, she kicked, batting his clawsso sharp and deadlyaway. Leave me alone!
A grunt, a snarl, and then those claws banded around her ankle, jerking. Rose slid forward and onto her back, skull slamming into wood. Icy air sawed between her lips as her vision swam with winking stars. Another jerk, and she was out of the cage entirely, staring up at the dark, endless sky, raindrops like little needles against her skin. Then multiple sets of those red eyes were peering down at her.
Im on my own. Helpless. Tremors rocked her, destroyed her, because she could no longer move. Death watched her, but she couldnt freaking move. Her blood was like sludge in her veins, weighing her down, pinning her in place.
Tears caught in her lashes before flooding down her cheeks, and even those were cold. Let me go. Please. A mere shimmer of voice this time.
Angry muttering assaulted her ears. Demands? Threats?
I dont know what youre saying!
Firm hands hauled her to her feet and shoved her forward. Rose stumbled, but managed to remain upright despite the rigidity of her body. When she reached the tent flap, one of the monsters held the material up and out of the way, and motioned for her to go inside. Shaking her head, she tried to press her heels into the ground and slow her momentum. Finally, movement, just not the right kind. Her efforts earned her another shove, and this time she fell straight into the tent, smashing her belly, lungs, and face on the ground. More of those stupid stars flashed through her vision.
The flap closed behind her with an ominous swish.
Silence.
Her tremors intensified. Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God.
No sudden moves, but you have to find out what youre up against. Slowly she raised her head and cast her gaze wildly about. To her left was a bed of furs. Avoid! In the center blazed a crackling fire, licking her with welcome warmth. Every cell she possessed craved more. Just beyond those flames was a wooden tub, a shelf of books. To the right, a table piled high with platters of food. Food. How long since shed eaten? But her empty stomach didnt have time to twist hungrily. Beside that table stood a man. A man who was studying her, casually sipping a glass of amber liquid.
Gasping, Rose jumped up. At six feet, she usually towered over the people around her, yet this man towered over her. He was as muscled as her escort, but unlike those monsters, this man had sun-kissed skin, tousled black hair, and violet eyes framed by thick, spiky black lashes.
His face was... beautiful. Haunting, like that of a favored angel. Seriously, airbrushed models werent this perfect. He wore a black shirt and black pants, and if hed unfolded white, feathered wings from his back, she wouldnt have been surprised.
Was she, dared she hope, safe now?
Deutsch? Franais? English? Espaol? he asked.
And he purred. The oh, Gods in her head instantly changed in tone and volume. From frightened and screeching to awed and whispering. None of the boys at her school spoke like that. Im A-American, she said, smoothing the dripping hair from her face. Her black nightshirt and leggings absorbed every drop, and she was suddenly painfully aware of how terrible she must look. Silly girl.
English, then. How many times have you been here, darling? Not many is my guess.
Darling. The endearment soothed like balm. Th-this is the f-first time. Stupid chattering teeth. The cold and waning shock had caught up with her.
He smiled over the rim of his glass. Happy eighteenth birthday, then. Gaze never leaving her, he drank what remained, ice cubes clinking, and set the cup on the tabletop.
That smile nearly stole her thoughts as well as her breath. How did you know today is my birthday? For that matter: Where am I? Wh-what are you going to do with me? Chattering teeth couldnt be blamed for that last stutter. She wanted to blame renewed fear, but...
One question at a time, yes?
