dimOuniak—Pandora’s box
Downfall—nightclub for immortals owned by Thane, Bjorn and Xerxes
Elin—Phoenix/human hybrid; mate to Thane
Ever—daughter to Maddox and Ashlyn, sister to Urban
Fae—race of immortals descended from Titans
Flashing—transporting oneself with just a thought
Fox—immortal of unknown origin; associate of Galen’s; keeper of Distrust
Galen—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Jealousy and False Hope
Geryon—once the guardian of the gate to Hell; deceased yet in spirit form; companion to goddess of Oppression
Gideon—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Lies
Gillian Bradshaw—human female recently made immortal; bonded to Pukinn
Greeks—former rulers of Olympus
Green—one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse; child of William
Gwendolyn Skyhawk—Harpy; wife of Sabin; daughter of Galen
Hades—one of the nine kings of the underworld
Haidee Alexander—former Hunter; keeper of Love; mated to Amun
Hera—Queen of the Greeks; wife to Zeus
Hunters—mortal enemies of the Lords of the Underworld; disbanded
Josephina “Tink” Aisling—Queen of the Fae; wife to Kane
Juliette Eagleshield—Harpy; self-appointed consort of Lazarus
Kadence—the goddess of Oppression; deceased yet in spirit form; companion to Geryon
Kaia Skyhawk—part Harpy, part Phoenix; sister of Gwen, Taliyah and Bianka; consort of Strider
Kane—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Disaster; husband to Josephina
Keeleycael—a Curator; the Red Queen; engaged to Torin
Lazarus—an immortal warrior; only son of Typhon and an unnamed gorgon
Legion—demon minion in a human body; adopted daughter of Aeron and Olivia; aka Honey
Lords of the Underworld—exiled immortal warriors now hosting the demons once locked inside Pandora’s box
Lucien—coleader of the Lords of the Underworld; keeper of Death; engaged to Anya
Lucifer—one of the nine kings of the underworld; son to Hades; brother to William
Lysander—elite warrior angel and consort of Bianka Skyhawk
Maddox—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Violence; father to Urban and Ever; husband to Ashlyn
Melody—siren; blind; works for Hades
Morning Star—created by the Most High. With it nothing is impossible. Hidden in dimOuniak.
Neeka Eagleshield—part Harpy, part Phoenix, known as The Unwanted
Never-ending—a portal to hell. 1 regular day is 1000 years in the Never-ending.
Olivia—fallen warrior angel; mated to Aeron
Pandora—immortal warrior, once guardian of dimOuniak (newly resurrected)
Pandora’s Box—aka dimOuniak; made of the bones from the goddess of Oppression; once housed demon high lords; now missing
Paring Rod—Godly artifact with ability to rend soul from body
Paris—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Promiscuity; husband to Sienna
Phoenix—fire-thriving immortals descended from Greeks
Pukinn—satyr, keeper of Indifference; alias: Irish; bonded to Gillian
Red—one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse; child of William
Reyes—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Pain; husband to Danika
Rhea—former Queen of the Titans, former keeper of Strife; wife to Cronus
Sabin—coleader of the Lords of the Underworld; keeper of Doubt; consort of Gwen
Scarlet—keeper of Nightmares; wife of Gideon
Sent Ones—winged warriors; demon assassins
Sienna Blackstone—former Hunter, current keeper of Wrath, current ruler of Olympus; beloved of Paris
Strider—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Defeat
Taliyah Skyhawk—Harpy, sister of Gwen, Bianka and Kaia
Tartarus—Greek god of Confinement, also the immortal prison on Mount Olympus
Titans—rulers of Titania; children of fallen angels and humans
Thane—Sent One; mate to Elin
Torin—Lord of the Underworld; keeper of Disease; husband to Keeleycael
Urban—son of Maddox and Ashlyn; brother of Ever
Viola—Titan; (minor) goddess of the Afterlife; keeper of Narcissism
White—one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse; child of William; deceased
William the Ever Randy—immortal warrior of questionable origins; aka The Panty Melter and William of the Dark
Winter—keeper of Selfishness
Xerxes—Sent One
Zeus—King of the Greeks; husband to Hera
If you like the irresistible alphas of the Lords of the Underworld, you’ll love THE ORIGINAL HEARTBREAKERS series from New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter. Turn the page for a sneak peek at THE CLOSER YOU COME, featuring Brook Lynn Dillon and Jase Hollister, the sexy bad boy willing to do anything to win her.
“Showalter…rocks me every time!”
—Sylvia Day, #1 New York Times bestselling author
If you loved The Darkest Torment, then don’t miss any of the spellbinding tales full of passion and peril in the Lords of the Underworld series!
The Darkest Fire (digital prequel)
The Darkest Night
The Darkest Kiss
The Darkest Pleasure
The Darkest Prison (novella)
The Darkest Whisper
The Darkest Angel (novella)
The Darkest Passion
The Darkest Lie
The Darkest Secret
The Darkest Surrender
The Darkest Craving
The Darkest Touch
Complete your collection today!
“Showalter writes fun, sexy characters you fall in love with!”
—New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster
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The Closer You Come
by Gena Showalter
JASON—JASE—HOLLISTER carted the petite bundle of fury into the backyard. She fought him every step of the way, the little wildcat, but he held on as if she were a well-deserved war prize. The party guests watched with wide grins, enjoying the show. A few even followed him, no doubt curious to see how the scene would play out.
He resented their presence, actually hated that they were here. Truth be told, he liked to keep his two friends close and everyone else at a distance. His head wasn’t screwed on right on the best of days, and today wasn’t the best of days. He hadn’t had a best day in a long time.
Behind him, the firecracker he’d just slept with shouted, “Put my sister down this instant, you overgrown Neanderthal!”
If he hadn’t already regretted sleeping with Jessie Kay before Wildcat had stormed into his bedroom—she was also known as Brook Lynn, apparently—he would have regretted it now. Before moving to Strawberry Valley a few weeks ago, he’d decided to end his sexual bender. A five-month carnal odyssey, Beck had called it, not quite realizing how right he was. It was an odyssey. Straight into hell. Jase had expected pleasure, maybe a little fun, but he’d had trouble relaxing around the women, and it had made for bad sex, great guilt and even worse memories.
Tonight had been more of the same, another regret to add to his
ever-growing list. He’d had trouble focusing, constantly on alert for a sneak attack.
The nine-year habit would be hard to shake.
Besides, the move here was supposed to be his fresh start in a place that represented everything he’d never had but had always craved. Roots, permanence. Peace. Wide-open spaces and community support. A clean canvas he’d hoped to keep clean, not mar by creating a perfect storm of drama, pitting two sisters against each other.
Too late.
Though he’d had no desire to shit where he ate, so to speak, and mess everything up with a scorned lover, he’d had a few beers too many tonight, and Jessie Kay had crawled into his lap, asked if she could welcome him to town properly, and that had been that.
At least he’d had the presence of mind to make it clear there would be no repeat performances, no blooming relationship. He’d earned his freedom the hard way—and he would do anything to keep it.
Women never stuck around for the long haul anyway. His mother sure hadn’t. Countless foster moms hadn’t. Hell, even the love of his life hadn’t. Daphne had taken off without ever looking back.
Light from the porch lamps cast a golden glow over the swimming pool, illuminating the couple who’d decided to skinny-dip. They, like everyone else within a ten-mile radius, heard the commotion; they scrambled into a shadowed corner.
“Pay attention, honey,” Jase said to Brook Lynn. “This isn’t a lesson you’ll want to learn twice. You throw a tantrum in my room, you get wet.” Jase tossed the little wildcat into the deep end, hoping to calm her down.
Jessie Kay beat at his arm, screeching, “Idiot! Her implants aren’t supposed to be waterlogged. She’s supposed to cover them with a special adhesive.”
Please. “Implants are always better wet.” He should know. He’d handled his fair share.
“They aren’t in her boobs, you moron. They’re in her ears!”
Well, hell. I’m on silent, she’d said, the words suddenly making sense. “Way to bury the lead,” he muttered.
Brook Lynn came up sputtering. She swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out with her sister’s help, then arranged her hair over her ears before glaring up at him, reminding him of an avenging angel.
He’d hoped the impromptu dunk would lessen her appeal.
He’d hoped in vain.
Water droplets trickled down flawless skin the color of melted honey. The plain white button-up and black slacks she wore clung to her body, revealing a breathtakingly erotic frame, legs that were somehow a mile long, breasts that were a perfect handful...and nipples that were hard.
Those traits, in themselves, would have been dangerous for any man’s peace of mind. But when you paired that miracle body with that angel face—huge baby blues and heart-shaped lips no emissary from heaven should ever be allowed to have—it was almost overkill.
Damn, I picked the wrong sister.
“I’m sorry about your hearing aids, or whatever they are,” he said, “but catfights aren’t allowed in my room. You should save all disputes for the next Jell-O Fight Night.”
She watched his lips. Her eyes narrowed, an indication she’d understood him.
Without looking away from him, she said, “Jessie Kay, get in the car. If I have to start counting again, you’ll regret it.”
For the first time that evening, her sister heeded her command and took off as though her feet were on fire.
West and Beck arrived a second later and scoped out the scene: a gorgeous woman who was soaking wet, probably chilled, stood as still as a statue, her hands fisted at her sides, while Jase couldn’t seem to look away from her.
“What the hell happened?” Beck demanded, running a hand through his hair.
“This is between him and me.” Brook Lynn pointed to Jase. “You guys go inside.”
“Your hand is bleeding.” West frowned and reached for her.
“I’m not your concern.” She stepped away, avoiding contact, and would have toppled back into the pool if Jase hadn’t caught her arm.
With her sex-kitten curves, he was surprised by the slenderness of her bones. Even more shocked by the soft silk of her skin, the warmer-than-melted-honey temperature. She wasn’t chilled, after all, and the longer he held on, the more electric the contact proved to be, somehow cracking through the armor he’d spent years erecting around his emotions, until he practically vibrated with the desire to touch all of her...to hold her...
To devour.
What the hell?
He released her with a jolt and widened the distance between them. His inner armor wasn’t something he maintained just for grins and giggles. It was for survival. As a boy abandoned by his parents and sometimes mistreated by fosters, he’d learned emotions were a weakness that could be used against him. To feel something for a person or object meant he’d placed value on it—whether for good or ill.
Feel nothing. Want nothing. Need nothing. For the most part, the motto had served him well. There had been times the armor vanished, the darkest of emotions consuming him...pushing him to do things he shouldn’t. Trouble had always followed.
Brook Lynn peered down at her wrist, as if she’d felt something she couldn’t explain, before focusing on him, her eyes narrowing once again.
To Beck and West, who’d remained after her command to leave, Jase said, “Get everyone inside. I’ll handle her.”
***
Don’t miss a single story in
THE ORIGINAL HEARTBREAKERS series:
“THE ONE YOU WANT” (novella)
THE CLOSER YOU COME
THE HOTTER YOU BURN
THE HARDER YOU FALL
Available now from Gena Showalter and HQN Books!
Copyright © 2015 by Gena Showalter
ISBN-13: 9781459293670
The Darkest Torment
Copyright © 2016 by Gena Showalter
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