SHADOW RISING

Okay, so I know that MIDNIGHT RECKONING isn't even out yet, but because of the way ye olde publishing works, it was actually finished a few months ago.  And then, because I love my characters (and am also slightly insane), I wrote the third book in the Dark Dynasties series, SHADOW RISING.  Haven't done edits on it yet, but I do know that my lovely editor is really enjoying it, and as of yesterday I have a final cover AND the cover copy!  I got the go-ahead to share them with you:)  Behold the pretty:

Ancient Secrets, Dark Passions . . .

As one of the Grigori, a noble vampire dynasty shrouded in mystery, Ariane has spent her life hidden away in the desert. Like all of her kind, she is a watcher, fated to observe, forbidden to act. Yet when her best friend Sammael vanishes, she defies all rules and flees her safe haven to bring him home.

A shape-shifting assassin for the House of Shadows, Damien Tremaine is hired to locate Sammael. His hunt for the wayward Grigori leads him to Ariane, the rogue vamp who stands between him and his bounty. Damien never lets emotion interfere with his work, but a single touch from the sexy, beguiling vampire shatters his self-control. Drawn together by their common goal, what begins as an alliance of necessity soon becomes one of desire. But when the secret at the dark heart of the Grigori comes to light, Damien and Ariane must make a choice that could bind them eternally . . . or tear them—and everything they care about—apart.

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I believe this will be out in August of 2012...and I can't wait!  I love Damien, the smartass, amoral assassin from DARK AWAKENING, and he was, as I expected, a lot of fun to write.  Creating a heroine who could handle him was a challenge, but Ariane was more than up to the task:)  You'll be meeting Lyra Black first, though, the fiesty she-wolf who captures Jaden's heart in MIDNIGHT RECKONING...I'm anxious to hear what you all think of her as well.  The way she and Jaden deal with one another was still making me laugh when I was checking the final proofs for the book to go to print. Lots of good stuff coming up!