Daughter of the Blood

Daughter of the Blood
Nancy Holder

This is your battle, Isabella. Kill him first. Or he will tear down your house.In her old life, Isabella DeMarco lived in New York with her father and had just started to fall for a handsome police lieutenant. Then she learned the truth–she is Gifted, a powerful magic user. In her new world, Jean-Marc des Ombres is the one person Izzy can trust as she claims her birthright–keeping New Orleans and the House of the Flames safe from supernatural enemies. But those enemies will do anything to destroy her. When Jean-Marc is injured, Izzy is caught between fighting off a powerful vampire and opening her House to a potentially treacherous ally. And now the lives of the people she cares about most may be sacrificed for her own….

“Daughter of the Flames by Nancy Holder

has a unique plot that will keep readers

hooked from start to finish.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews, 4½ stars

Jean-Marc stood alone in a shimmering aura of blue light.

His long, wild hair was caught back in a ponytail. His dark eyes blazed. A terrible anger came off him in waves, and she remembered the first rule she had made for herself when she had met him: Never piss off Jean-Marc.

He gazed down at her. His lips parted and she felt his breath on her forehead. Determined not to betray herself again, she resolutely matched his gaze, raising her chin and tipping back her head. An inch closer, and his mouth would press against hers.

“You can’t be here,” she told him. “You just had major surgery.”

“I heal fast,” he said. “I’m a Gifted.”

“So am I.” And if you had died, I would never have gotten over it.

Dear Reader,

As I write this note, my daughter, Belle, has just finished her third year as a Brownie Girl Scout, and is now a Junior Girl Scout. To mark the occasion, our service unit put on an elaborate bridging ceremony. I watched my daughter eagerly cross a small wooden bridge—Brownie on one side, Junior on the other—with wistfulness and pride. I, too, have crossed many bridges in my life. Some I burned (!) and some I tripped merrily across. But to be honest, I didn’t want to cross a lot of them. I wanted to stay where I was, where I felt safe.

In Daughter of the Blood, Isabella DeMarco must cross a bridge from her old life to her new one. I hope that as you read about her journey, you’ll remember that you, too, have taken that scary first step many times. That makes you a true heroine in my book. In nearly every instance, once I’m across I’m glad I did it. But sometimes that first step requires a tremendous act of faith. Please write me about your own courageous crossings at www.nancyholder.com, and visit me at bombshellauthors.com.

Be bold!

Nancy Holder

Daughter of the Blood

Nancy Holder

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

NANCY HOLDER

is a bestselling author of nearly eighty books and two hundred short stories. She has received four Bram Stoker Awards from the Horror Writers Association, and her books have been translated into two dozen languages. A former ballet dancer, she has lived all over the world and currently resides in San Diego, California, with her daughter, Belle. She would love to hear from readers at www.nancyholder.com.

In memory of Jehanne D’Arc, the Maid of Orleans,

valiant warrior and commander.

To my Gifted daughter, Belle,

bridge-crosser par excellence.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Epilogue

Acknowledgments:

With sincere thanks to the Silhouette Bombshell team: Tara Parsons, Natashya Wilson, Charles Griemsman and my acquiring editor, Julie Barrett. To all the terrifically talented, bright and courageous Bombards, my deep appreciation and gratitude for all the support, advice and friendship. Deepest thanks to my agent and friend, Howard Morhaim, who has guided my career and fed me well, and his assistant, Katie; and to my most excellent Webmaster and fellow soldier, Sam Devol. Also to Persephone, buffybuds, litvamp, SF-FWs, bryantstreet, novelscribes and JoysofResearch, especially Pat MacEwen, Val and Gerald. To Karen Hackett, Linda Wilcox, Christie Holt, Ashley McConnell, Leslie Jones Ackel, Elise Jones, Sandra Morehouse, Richard Wilkinson, Skylah Wilkinson, Wayne Holder, Anny Caya, Lucy Walker, Kym Rademacher, Susi Frant, Terri Yates, Monica Elrod, Barbara Nierman, Margie Morel and Steve Perry. Deepest thanks to Susan Wiggs and Gillian Horvath. And a deep bow to Andy Thompson and everyone at Family Karate, especially our dear friends Haley and Amy Schricker.