Nightmaster

Nightmaster
Susan Krinard

Rumours of war are rumbling in the vampire city of Erebus. Undercover agent Trinity Ward must pose as a blood slave to unearth the truth and keep the peace between vampires and humans. Acting now as a serf to Ares – a powerful Bloodmaster – Trinity must give herself to him…Yet one look into his striking eyes turns submission into burning desire. The fiery beauty has the same effect on Ares, but as their passion grows so do the risks.Now Trinity's betrayal could cost her the mission—and the man she loves.

“I’m a little confused,” she said, “why did you claim me?”

“Your spirit intrigued me. You speak our language well, and I have some interest in the human perspective. Perhaps you can provide me with a new one.”

Trinity looked at him as if he were slightly mad. As he would be, in most Opiri’s eyes.

She rubbed her arms as if she were cold, though nearly all of Erebus was kept warmer than most of her kind preferred. “I know I have no rights. But I am … glad you won me.”

Yet her eyes were soft, her lips parted, her face flushed as if with desire. The unmistakable scent of sexual arousal rose from her body.

Ares grabbed her by the shoulders, lifted her face to his level and kissed her. His teeth grazed her lower lip, giving him the smallest taste of her sweet blood.

SUSAN KRINARD has been writing paranormal romance for nearly twenty years. With Daysider she began a series of vampire paranormal romances, the Nightsiders series, for Mills & Boon

Nocturne™.

Sue lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband, Serge, her dogs, Freya, Nahla and Cagney, and her cats, Agatha and Rocky. She loves her garden, nature, painting and chocolate … not necessarily in that order.

Nightmaster

Susan Krinard

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

As always, with thanks to Lucienne Diver and Leslie Wainger.

Contents

Chapter 1 (#u5b34140a-9fa9-584c-ac41-4023b7b4b583)

Chapter 2 (#ua36cffcd-ea78-5ce8-986f-7a341ad07bc2)

Chapter 3 (#u3803effa-21fd-504a-913f-a0824ba976c3)

Chapter 4 (#u2a439170-6901-5aa5-b50d-224320a6c919)

Chapter 5 (#ud5599e27-74a5-5be6-b14c-55e965e4b9d7)

Chapter 6 (#ue957dfed-5858-5c5a-8882-ab6fcb80ce2e)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 23 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 24 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 25 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 1

Trinity Ward waited with the other dozen convicts, her wrists aching from the grip of the padded cuffs that kept her hands locked together at her waist.

Not that she would have fought to escape. This was where she was supposed to be, among these poor, lost souls whose punishment was to be more terrible than mere imprisonment. Or even death.

They were condemned to a life of blood slavery to some Nightsider master in the Opir city of Erebus—an existence of unending servitude—until they were too old to provide blood or serve in any other capacity.

But these living offerings around Trinity, men and women who had committed only the most minor crimes, were not old. Some were in their late teens; the eldest couldn’t have been more than fifty. If not for the Treaty and the need to maintain the Armistice, they might have lived normal lives, sentenced by the Courts to jail time, probation and reparations.

Except that there were only two jails in the Enclave, and they were nearly empty. Crime had dropped to levels unknown in all of human history. Dropped so far that the bloodsuckers were growing restless.

“What did you do?” a young woman standing next to Trinity asked in a surprisingly calm voice.

Trinity met her gaze. She knew what the woman saw: normal human eyes, not the catlike pupils of a half human, half Nightsider dhampir. In a way, the contact lenses were like shields, not only concealing Trinity’s identity, but also helping her keep her distance from those around her.

Distance, Trinity thought, shouldn’t be a problem. She had been chosen for this assignment because she was known as the most unflappable, most controlled operative in all of Aegis. The one without close friends or lovers, because she wanted it that way.