Twilight Crossing
Bound by blood, sealed in secretsA half-blood Rider, Timon has a duty to anyone under his protection, but his intense attraction to scientist Jamie McCullough is complicating his latest mission. In a moment of desperation, he makes a difficult choice. His bite heals her—and creates a bond that neither of them can resist.As Jamie heads for a conclave convened to create new peace between humans and vampires, she carries a secret that could secure peace everlasting. But before she has a chance to reveal it, she’s accused of bringing a vampire-killing virus to the negotiations. While Timon is willing to pay the ultimate price to save her, can he first win the ultimate challenge of her trust?
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Bound by blood, sealed in secrets
A half-blood Rider, Timon has a duty to anyone under his protection, but his intense attraction to scientist Jamie McCullough is complicating his latest mission. In a moment of desperation, he makes a difficult choice. His bite heals herâand creates a bond that neither of them can resist.
As she heads for a conclave convened to create new peace between humans and vampires, Jamie carries a secret that could secure peace everlasting. But before she has a chance to reveal it, sheâs accused of bringing a vampire-killing virus to the negotiations. Though Timon is willing to pay the ultimate price to save her, can he first win the ultimate challenge of her trust?
âTeach me, Timon,â she whispered.
Taking her in his arms again, he lowered her to the ground and laid her on the blanket. Without a word he braced his arms on either side of her shoulders, leaned over her and kissed her.
This was not like the first kisses. It was much deeper, with that leashed ferocity, but also the tenderness she had felt in him before. His tongue ran along the inside of her lips, and a rush of warmth gathered between her thighs.
A normal response, she thought. But then she wasnât thinking about anything but the kiss, hesitantly returning it, touching her tongue to his.
Then she felt his teeth, and her muscles stiffened.
Timon drew back. âYouâre not ready,â he said hoarsely.
âWill you...bite me?â she asked.
âNot unless you want me to.â
âNo,â she said. âNot yet.â
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.
Special thanks to Ginger Tansey, DVM, for her help with information on viruses and emergency first-aid treatment. Any and all errors are mine.
With gratitude to my editor, Leslie Wainger, who exemplifies everything an outstanding editor should be.
Contents
During the fifty years following the post-War Armistice between the Opiri and humanity, the world slowly began to heal. As ruins crumbled and wilderness took the place of old towns and cities, both humans and vampires had to make difficult adaptations and hard choices.
In the earlier days of the âcold war,â human Enclaves, usually built out of cities that survived the War, paid tribute to the Opiri in the form of âblood-serfs,â criminals sent to the Opir Citadels in return for the cessation of blood raids on human communities. Citadels and Enclaves continued to spy on one another via half-blood agentsâthe Opiriâs âDarketansâ and the Enclaveâs dhampiresâoperating in the neutral Zone between cities, and skirmishes continued to break out between them, challenging the uneasy truce.
Over time, two significant trends put an increasing strain on the Armistice: the gradual reduction and eventual end to the practice of blood tribute, and the formation of new âmixedâ colonies, in which Opiri and humans lived together in relative peace and cooperation.
This cooperation, however, was largely confined to these smaller communities, and communication between Enclaves and Citadels remained erratic until the rise of the Riders, a brotherhood of half-blood horseman whose work it was to carry messages and escort travelers across the western half of the former United States of America. Known for their skill in wilderness survival and fending off rogue Freeblood packs as well as human raiders, the Riders gained a reputation for trustworthiness and complete neutrality. Facilitation of contact and travel among human and Opir cities led to new alliances and discussions of a permanent peace, one in which the âmixedâ colonies would provide an example of coexistence across the entire western region.
Thus, the original Conclave was born: a meeting of delegations from every major Citadel, Enclave and mixed colony in the West. The Conclave was to be held in the neutral area of the former city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was to be the first such meeting since the signing of the Armistice, and the Riders were to take the role of peacekeepers and upholders of the Conclaveâs laws.
Though hope ran high for the success of the Conclave, there were many who resisted the idea of an ultimate peace and the cultural changes that would become necessary to sustain it.
