Dark Hunter 00 - Dark Bites (Novellas)

Praise for Sherrilyn Kenyon:

‘A publishing phenomenon… [Sherrilyn Kenyon] is the reigning queen of the wildly successful paranormal scene’

Publishers Weekly
 

‘Kenyon’s writing is brisk, ironic and relentlessly imaginative. These are not your mother’s vampire novels’

Boston Globe
 

‘Whether writing as Sherrilyn Kenyon or Kinley MacGregor, this author delivers great romantic fantasy!’

New York Times
bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell

Since 2004, internationally bestselling author
Sherrilyn Kenyon
has placed over sixty novels on the
New York Times
bestseller list; in the past three years alone, she has claimed the No.1 spot seventeen times. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre she writes within.

Proclaimed the pre-eminent voice in paranormal fiction by critics, Kenyon has helped pioneer – and define – the current paranormal trend that has captivated the world and continues to blaze new trails that blur traditional genre lines.

With more than 25 million copies of her books in print in over 100 countries, her current series include: The Dark-Hunters, League, Lords of Avalon, Chronicles of Nick, and Belador Code.

Visit Sherrilyn Kenyon online:

www.darkhunter.com
|
www.sherrilynkenyon.co.uk

www.facebook.com/AuthorSherrilynKenyon
 

www.twitter.com/KenyonSherrilyn
 

Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter World Series:

(in reading order)
 

Fantasy Lover

Night Pleasures

Night Embrace

Dance with the Devil

Kiss of the Night

Night Play

Seize the Night

Sins of the Night

Unleash the Night

Dark Side of the Moon

The Dream-Hunter

Devil May Cry

Upon the Midnight Clear

Dream Chaser

Acheron

One Silent Night

Dream Warrior

Bad Moon Rising

No Mercy

Retribution

The Guardian

Time Untime

Styxx

The Dark-Hunter Companion

Dark Bites

Also by Sherrilyn Kenyon:

League Series
 

Born of Night

Born of Fire

Born of Ice

Born of Shadows

Born of Silence

The Belador Code
 

Blood Trinity

Alterant

The Curse

Rise of the Gryphon

Chronicles of Nick
 

Infinity

Invincible

Infamous

Inferno

By Sherrilyn Kenyon writing as Kinley MacGregor:

Lords of Avalon Series
 

Sword of Darkness

Knight of Darkness

COPYRIGHT

Published by Piatkus

978-1-4055-2824-5

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 by Sherrilyn Kenyon

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

PIATKUS

An imprint of

Little, Brown Book Group

100 Victoria Embankment

London, EC4Y 0DY

www.littlebrown.co.uk

www.hachette.co.uk

Dark Bites

Table of Contents

• Praise for Sherrilyn Kenyon:
  
• About the Author
  
• Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter World Series:
  
• COPYRIGHT
  
• Copyright Acknowledgments
  
• Dedication
  
• HOUSE OF THE RISING SON
  
  • July 20, 12,252 BC
    
  • October 28, 12,252 BC
    
  • March 3, 12,251 BC
    
  • May 30, 12,251 BC
    
  • August 23, 12,251 BC
    
  • February 8, 12,250 BC
    
  • February 9, 12,250 BC
    
  • April 4, 12,250 BC
    
  • June 2, 12,249 BC
    
  • October 22, 12,249 BC
    
  • October 23, 12,249 BC
    
  • October 30, 12,249 BC
    
  • November 1, 12,249 BC
    
  • January 20, 12,248 BC
    
  • January 23, 12,248 BC
    
  • January 24, 12,248 BC
    
  • January 25, 12,248 BC
    
  • Epilogue
    
• PHANTOM LOVER
  
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • 5
    
  • 6
    
  • Epilogue
    
• WINTER BORN
  
  • Prologue
    
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • 5
    
  • Epilogue
    
• A DARK-HUNTER CHRISTMAS
  
  • Prologue
    
  • 1
    
• UNTIL DEATH WE DO PART
  
  • Prologue
    
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • 5
    
  • Epilogue
    
• A HARD DAY’S NIGHT SEARCHER
  
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • Epilogue
    
• SHADOW OF THE MOON
  
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • 5
    
• FEAR THE DARKNESS
  
  • New Orleans, 2007
    
• WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
  
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
• LOVE BYTES
  
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • Epilogue
    
• SANTA WEARS SPURS
  
  • Prologue
    
  • 1
    
  • 2
    
  • 3
    
  • 4
    
  • 5
    
  • Epilogue
    
• REDEMPTION
  
  • A Bonus Scene from The Guardian
    

Copyright Acknowledgments

“Phantom Lover,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2003 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
Midnight Pleasures
, 2003. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Winter Born,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2004 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
Stroke of Midnight
, 2004. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“A Dark-Hunter Christmas,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2003 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
Dance with the Devil
, 2003. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Until Death We Do Part,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2006 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
Love at First Bite
, 2006. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“A Hard Day’s Night Searcher,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2006 by St. Martin’s Griffin. First published in
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
, 2006. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Shadow of the Moon,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2008 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
Dead After Dark
, 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Fear the Darkness,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2007 by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Where Angels Fear to Tread,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2008 by Gallery Books. First published in
Blood Lite
, 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Love Bytes,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2001 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
Naughty or Nice?
, 2001. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Santa Wears Spurs,” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Copyright © 2000 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. First published in
All I Want for Christmas
, 2000. Reprinted by permission of the author.

To you, the reader, for taking these adventures with me. And as always, to my family and friends who tolerate my many hours of solitude while I work, and who keep me sane whenever I emerge from the rabbit hole. And as always, to my peeps at SMP for all their hard work and for making these adventures possible. Y’all rock!

HOUSE OF THE RISING SON

July 20, 12,252 BC

“How do they look?”

The daeve demon, Caleb Malphas, turned away from the sparring soldiers at the delicate, emotionless voice of the goddess he served. As was her wont, she’d appeared silently and suddenly behind him – something that was always disconcerting to a warrior who didn’t like anyone or anything at his back.

With long, dark brown hair, flawless skin, and vivid greenish-gold eyes, Bathymaas was exquisitely beautiful, but as cold-blooded as any creature he’d ever known. The embodiment of justice, she wasn’t supposed to have any type of emotion or feeling.…

And she didn’t. However, she was as kind as she was ruthless, and fair beyond his comprehension.

Malphas glanced back at the four soldiers who were training in the large arena in front of him. “Not bad. They might actually survive a few battles.”

His dark humor was lost on a goddess who had no understanding of it. Luckily, she didn’t get sarcasm, either, therefore she never took offense to his. It made serving her a lot less painful for him, and it was the primary reason he’d agreed to help her assemble her team of elite protectors who would be charged with keeping her peoples safe.

She brushed a stray piece of hair back from her face. “We still need two more to represent the Atlanteans. Have you any suggestions?”

“There’s an Atlantean champion who’s been making a name for himself during games and festivals. Galenus of Didimosia. I was planning to test and then invite him to join our merry crew later today.”

“Have you seen him fight?”

Malphas nodded. “Two days ago. He beat back six larger opponents at one time, during an exhibition match. He is impressive, and given the way he savored the fight and victory, he should make a good addition to our group.”

“May I go with you?”

“Of course, my lady. I would be highly honored.”

Inclining her head to him, she walked away with a grace that would rival his own beloved Lilliana’s. That comparison made him involuntarily flinch as vivid memories surged to stab him with painful regrets. Unwilling to go there with his thoughts, Malphas returned to the men he was training to protect this fragile world from the very kind of tragedy he, himself, had gone through.

You should have
been there, brother. It was incredible! They came at me like giant mountainous beasts, wanting only my blood and bones to eat, and I beat them back, single-handedly. When I won the fight… this incredible shout went up through the amphitheater like raucous thunder.” Cupping his hands around his mouth, Galenus demonstrated the sound.

Aricles smiled at his twin’s exuberance while Galenus went on to illustrate his expert sword skills that had won his tournament two days ago. “You know what would really impress me, Galen?”

His brother froze with a frown in the middle of his mock sword stroke. “What?”

“Help with laying down the fertilizer in my field.”

Galenus scoffed indignantly as he climbed up on the fence and grimaced. “How can you stand it here? I hate farming and tending animals and fields… You should come with me next time and participate in the games. Together we’d be invincible… and win enough money to make the king himself look like a pauper.”

Aricles paused to wipe the sweat from his brow with his forearm before he cut the cord on a fresh batch of manure. Unlike his brother, who was dressed in noble finery to rival a prince’s chiton and chlamys, he was shirtless with only a short brown breechcloth and worn leather shoes to cover him while he worked. Even so, sweat rolled down his back and plastered his short, reddish-brown hair to his head. “It’s not so bad here. Father needs the help.”