Kindle Edition, 448 pages
Published October 11th 2022
buy from Amazon
Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva is a Lycan of royal blood. She knows what is expected of her, but all she wants is to be out from under her family’s watchful eyes. There is a fire inside her that is building. A restlessness coupled with a sense of growing dread. Every day she feels the weight of the legacy passed down through generations. The prophecy that says a man will come to claim her as his mate, and that she will guard his soul. She knows nothing about him except that he is hers. But nothing seems real until the night she meets him in the flesh....
Afanasiv Belan is a Carpathian, an ancient one. In all the centuries of his existence, no one has ever affected him like Vasilisa. He can see into her mind and feel what is in her heart. They are so alike, warriors bound by honor and plagued by secrets. They both know they must reveal the darkest parts of their souls if they hope to survive and protect the ones they love.
But if they claim each other as lifemates, it will change them down to the bone. They will become something more—something feared by both of their kinds....
EXCERPT
In the distance, Vasilisa caught the faint sound of air moving through labored lungs. There he was. She had him now. She waited until she was positively certain that this was the man she was connected to. Her man. The man whose soul she guarded so carefully. She began to match that labored breathing, allowing her lungs to take on the same ragged gasps struggling for air. Once they were in perfect sync, she began to even the two of them out slowly. He became aware of her instantly.
He went from near unconsciousness to his mind on complete alert. She felt him pushing into her mind, and he was extremely strong. Like a battering ram. A tidal wave.
Be careful, she cautioned. There are others who might overhear if you aren’t cautious. How badly are you injured?
He didn’t withdraw from her, but he remained silent as though thinking whether or not he was going to answer her. You are?
She sighed. She should have known he would ask. There was no getting around this. Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva. And you?
I am called Afanasiv Belan. Or Siv for short. The daughter of the royal wolf, he mused. Are you aware of what you are to me?
Vasilisa didn’t know if it was because they were speaking telepathically to one another that his voice stroked and caressed like a deep, husky velvet brush. Soft. Gentle. He sounded as if he belonged to the night, just as she did. She only knew it was one of the most sensual experiences of her life.
She wanted to lie to him. She didn’t belong to any man. She was her own person and she went her own way. He was the one who needed help, not her. She didn’t say any of that. Yes, of course. I connected to you when you were first injured. Your head.
Forgive me. Had I known, I would not have allowed you to feel anything. You must leave this place. I will find you once I know you are safe.
Her belly grew hot, and she knew her temper was fighting for supremacy. She hadn’t just sauntered down a brick road to get to him. She’d fought a battle and killed men to make certain he was all right. He was laid out like bait in a trap. He was bait in a trap. He’d been nearly unconscious when she’d first arrived. A small kernel of doubt seeped in. Hadn’t he? He’d come alert awfully fast. Had he been faking?
I do not allow strangers to be accosted on my lands without retaliation. In any case, I believe they are using you as bait to draw me to them. It would be nice to know why.
I wanted the answer to that question. That is why I am lying here on the ground looking pathetic with my head bleeding. They did a poor job of weaving magic to tie me to the earth.
How many? And describe them, please. She ignored his high-handed order to leave. She was born into the house of Korolyvolk—the royal wolf. She was royalty, and while she didn’t hold that over the head of her people, no stranger was going to tell her what to do on her own land.
You are one of the very modern women who simply ignore anything her partner wants or needs.
She felt him heave a tremendous sigh. It was there in his mind. She might have found humor in the situation, but there was something else she caught a glimmer of—the smallest of scars, although its thickness gave her pause. That scar shouldn’t have been there in his mind. It wasn’t a barrier. He had those in abundance, hard walls she couldn’t penetrate, nor was she attempting to do so. That thick scar wasn’t actually in his mind, he’d been thinking of it in some conjunction with him. Sorrow had been instantly overwhelming.
Excerpted from DARK WHISPER by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2022 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
He went from near unconsciousness to his mind on complete alert. She felt him pushing into her mind, and he was extremely strong. Like a battering ram. A tidal wave.
Be careful, she cautioned. There are others who might overhear if you aren’t cautious. How badly are you injured?
He didn’t withdraw from her, but he remained silent as though thinking whether or not he was going to answer her. You are?
She sighed. She should have known he would ask. There was no getting around this. Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva. And you?
I am called Afanasiv Belan. Or Siv for short. The daughter of the royal wolf, he mused. Are you aware of what you are to me?
Vasilisa didn’t know if it was because they were speaking telepathically to one another that his voice stroked and caressed like a deep, husky velvet brush. Soft. Gentle. He sounded as if he belonged to the night, just as she did. She only knew it was one of the most sensual experiences of her life.
She wanted to lie to him. She didn’t belong to any man. She was her own person and she went her own way. He was the one who needed help, not her. She didn’t say any of that. Yes, of course. I connected to you when you were first injured. Your head.
Forgive me. Had I known, I would not have allowed you to feel anything. You must leave this place. I will find you once I know you are safe.
Her belly grew hot, and she knew her temper was fighting for supremacy. She hadn’t just sauntered down a brick road to get to him. She’d fought a battle and killed men to make certain he was all right. He was laid out like bait in a trap. He was bait in a trap. He’d been nearly unconscious when she’d first arrived. A small kernel of doubt seeped in. Hadn’t he? He’d come alert awfully fast. Had he been faking?
I do not allow strangers to be accosted on my lands without retaliation. In any case, I believe they are using you as bait to draw me to them. It would be nice to know why.
I wanted the answer to that question. That is why I am lying here on the ground looking pathetic with my head bleeding. They did a poor job of weaving magic to tie me to the earth.
How many? And describe them, please. She ignored his high-handed order to leave. She was born into the house of Korolyvolk—the royal wolf. She was royalty, and while she didn’t hold that over the head of her people, no stranger was going to tell her what to do on her own land.
You are one of the very modern women who simply ignore anything her partner wants or needs.
She felt him heave a tremendous sigh. It was there in his mind. She might have found humor in the situation, but there was something else she caught a glimmer of—the smallest of scars, although its thickness gave her pause. That scar shouldn’t have been there in his mind. It wasn’t a barrier. He had those in abundance, hard walls she couldn’t penetrate, nor was she attempting to do so. That thick scar wasn’t actually in his mind, he’d been thinking of it in some conjunction with him. Sorrow had been instantly overwhelming.
Excerpted from DARK WHISPER by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2022 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
MY REVIEW:
Dark Whisper by Christine FeehanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
the 36th book of a series.
Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva is a Lycan of royal blood. She knows what is expected of her, but all she wants is to be out from under her family’s watchful eyes.
Afanasiv Belan is a Carpathian, an ancient one. In all the centuries of his existence, no one has ever affected him like Vasilisa.
But if they claim each other as lifemates, it will change them down to the bone.
I really enjoyed getting to know these 2 and even though a lot was going on in the book and a lotm of other characters I didn't get lost. I thought with it being the 36th book of the series and not reading them all that I would have a hard time but it felt like a standalone.
You could feel that there was something there between these 2 right from the beginning when they met.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the book to review.
View all my reviews
Christine Feehan
Born The United States
Website
http://www.christinefeehan.com
AuthorCFeehan
Genre
Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy
Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 90 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders and Torpedo Ink. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...
IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)
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