Beneath the Skin Read online

  Maker's Song 3 Beneath the Skin

  Book Jacket

  Series: Maker's Song [3]

  SUMMARY: CHAOS CONTROLS HIS FUTURE. ONE MORTAL WOMAN COULD BE HIS SALVATION. THE COUNTDOWN TO ANNIHILATION WILL BEGIN WITH DANTE'S CHOICE...."THE FATE OF THREE WORLDS..."The dark pieces of vampire rock star Dante Baptiste's past are violently emerging, and it is only a matter of time before the Fallen discover he is the "creawdwr" they have sought for thousands of years. The destruction he left behind in Oregon threatens to reveal his identity as Fallen Maker and True Blood, exposing the young nightkind to shadowy predators -- mortal "and" supernatural -- who will do whatever it takes to win his favor...or destroy him."RESTS IN DANTE'S HANDS."When beautiful FBI special agent Heather Wallace went AWOL on assignment, she chose irresistible Dante over the shady government forces that now stalk them both. Heather has her own secrets of the past to uncover, but she is also the only one who can hold her nightkind lover together when his dangerous quest for the truth threatens to send him over the edge. And as she and Dante fi ght for their survival, she realizes they must work together to protect their future -- before his mysterious destiny tears them apart....

  Maker's Song 3 Beneath the Skin

  Book Jacket

  Series: Maker's Song [3]

  SUMMARY: CHAOS CONTROLS HIS FUTURE. ONE MORTAL WOMAN COULD BE HIS SALVATION. THE COUNTDOWN TO ANNIHILATION WILL BEGIN WITH DANTE'S CHOICE...."THE FATE OF THREE WORLDS..."The dark pieces of vampire rock star Dante Baptiste's past are violently emerging, and it is only a matter of time before the Fallen discover he is the "creawdwr" they have sought for thousands of years. The destruction he left behind in Oregon threatens to reveal his identity as Fallen Maker and True Blood, exposing the young nightkind to shadowy predators -- mortal "and" supernatural -- who will do whatever it takes to win his favor...or destroy him."RESTS IN DANTE'S HANDS."When beautiful FBI special agent Heather Wallace went AWOL on assignment, she chose irresistible Dante over the shady government forces that now stalk them both. Heather has her own secrets of the past to uncover, but she is also the only one who can hold her nightkind lover together when his dangerous quest for the truth threatens to send him over the edge. And as she and Dante fi ght for their survival, she realizes they must work together to protect their future -- before his mysterious destiny tears them apart....

  Praise for Adrian Phoenix and

  The Maker’s Song series

  BENEATH THE SKIN

  “Lush, sexy, and thrilling, Beneath the Skin is another darkly addictive entry in The Maker’s Song series. Adrian Phoenix makes her world of vampires, fallen angels, compelling characters, and rich settings come alive. I have two words for Ms. Phoenix: write faster.”

  —New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost

  IN THE BLOOD

  “Phoenix trips the dark fantastic in this wild, bloody sequel. … She keeps the plot thick and the tension high.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “The atmosphere is dark, and treachery abounds, making this story white-knuckle reading in the extreme.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Filled with twisting plots, shadowy government agencies, conspiracies, and betrayals, In the Blood kept me hooked from page one. This dark urban fantasy is not only action-packed from beginning to end, but at its core, it is also a story of hope and love.”

  —ParaNormal Romance

  “Adrian Phoenix is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her ability to create a dark, edgy atmosphere so real you can see, hear, and taste it, while maintaining a fast-moving, page-turning plot, is simply amazing.”

  —Jenna Black, author of Speak of the Devil

  A RUSH OF WINGS

  “Hard-charging action sequences, steamy sex scenes, and a surprising government conspiracy make this debut, the first in a series, engrossingly fun.”

  —Entertainment Weekly

  “Phoenix’s lively debut has it all … vampires and fallen angels and a slicing-dicing serial killer … Phoenix alternates romantic homages to gothdom and steamy blood-drinking threesomes with enough terse, fast-paced thriller scenes to satisfy even the most jaded fan.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Sharp, wicked, and hot as sin.”

  —New York Times bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu

  “Twisted science and the paranormal collide in this eerie new detective thriller that takes an intriguing slant on the supernatural. Phoenix’s gritty and original characters are instantly engaging, and the rapid pace keeps you glued to the pages.”

  —Romantic Times

  “A thrilling tale of lust and murder that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. A Rush of Wings joins the vampire romanticism of Anne Rice with the brutal intrigue of The Silence of the Lambs.”

  —Gothic Beauty Magazine

  “Ms. Phoenix spins a deliciously dark and seductive tale filled with sadistic serial killers, sexy vampires, powerful fallen angels and secret experiments. The fast pace and creative twists make this action-packed read one to remember, and the steamy romance will have readers eagerly looking for more of the same.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “A complex, layered story filled with twists and turns … a dark, rich treat you won’t soon forget.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “This one pulled me in from the first page. Heather and Dante are among those rare characters readers so often look for and seldom find.”

  —New York Times bestselling author Barb Hendee

  “A Rush of Wings is a fast-paced ride, its New Orleans setting appropriately rich and gothic, its characters both real and surprising.”

  —New York Times bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch

  “A Rush of Wings grabs you from the first sentence and doesn’t let go … Phoenix is one of the best new talents I have seen coming into literature in decades.”

  —New York Times bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith

  “A goth urban fantasy that moves as fast as its otherworldly characters. A bit like The Crow crossed with The Silence of the Lambs crossed with a voice that is Phoenix’s own, A Rush of Wings is decadent, glittering fun, wrapped up in leather and latex.”

  —Justine Musk, author of BloodAngel

  “A Rush of Wings is a dark, rich, sensual treat … a perfect blend of suspense, romance, and lyrical prose to keep readers up until late, late at night turning pages. I can’t wait to read more.”

  —Jenna Black, author of Speak of the Devil

  “If vampires didn’t exist, we’d have to invent them. To do that deed, I’d recommend Adrian Phoenix.”

  —Gerald M. Weinberg, author of The Aremac Project

  These titles are also available as eBooks.

  ALSO BY ADRIAN PHOENIX

  A Rush of Wings

  In the Blood

  Beneath the Skin

  Book Three of The Maker’s Song

  Adrian Phoenix

  The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as “unsold and destroyed,” Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this “stripped book.”

  Pocket Books

  A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  1230 Avenue of the Americas

  New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents

  either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead,

  is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2010 by Adrian Phoe
nix

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or

  portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address

  Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department,

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

  First Pocket Books paperback edition January 2010

  POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks of

  Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  For information about special discounts for bulk purchases,

  please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at

  1-866-506-1949 or [email protected].

  The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your

  live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the

  Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049

  or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

  Cover design by Lisa Litwack

  Illustration by Craig White

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  ISBN 978-1-4391-3729-1

  ISBN 978-1-4391-6655-0 (ebook)

  DEDICATED TO JEN HEDDLE, JIM SPENCER,

  SEBASTIAN PHOENIX, AND

  DIANE (DT) STEINER

  I can’t thank each of you enough for seeing me through the medical consequences of my klutziness (Curb? What curb?) and for being so generous with your patience, support, and understanding as I healed.

  Jen, working with you has always been a kick-ass pleasure, but your compassion and guidance and belief in me while I struggled to hit my deadline took off enormous pressure and allowed me to focus through the painkiller haze and write. It’s truly an honor to have you as my editor.

  Thanks from the bottom of my heart—Jim and DT—for all the rides home from work and to an endless parade of doctor appointments. I appreciate your generosity more than I can say, not to mention the time you both took out of every day to shepherd me around.

  And last, but sure as hell not least, thanks so much, Sebastian, for leaving your family for three weeks to take care of me; and damned good care it was too. I love you, sweetie!

  Without the four of you, this book might not have been finished.

  Merci beaucoup!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone at AquaJogger for their continuing support and encouragement and for putting up with my absences whenever I’m off on a writing vacation: Jim Spencer, Bobby Criswell, Steve Bergstrom, Lew and Kathy Thorne, Mark Poor-man—you’ve each made it possible for me to pursue my dream. Thank you!

  Special writing thanks to: Sean and Rose Prescott, Karen Abrahamson, and Dean Smith for being my first readers and for helping me tell the best story possible; and to my editor, Jen Heddle, and my agent, Matt Bialer, for your passion, your humor, and your artistry—I’m honored to work with you both!

  Big-ass thanks to: Mippy Carlson, Nate Gross, Sheila Dale, Louise Robson, Judi Szabo, and all the members of Club Hell and my street team for your support, enthusiasm, well wishes, and love for Dante and his world. Y’all ROCK!

  Heartfelt thanks to: my sons, Matt Jensen and Sebastian Phoenix, and their partners, Sherri Lyons and Jen Phoenix, and my story-writing little Kylah Phoenix, for all their encouragement and love; and Kris Rusch, Lynn Adams, Sharon and Marty Embertson, and Jerry Robinson for your friendship and for your tireless efforts in spreading the word—I couldn’t do it without you.

  Special you-were-there-in-my-time-of-need thanks to: Jeri Smith-Ready and Patrice Michelle for running me around after my graceful plummet in Orlando; Sean Prescott for picking me up at the airport and for just being there; Kris Rusch, Dean Smith, Chris and Steve York, Rose Prescott, and all the talented and prolific members of OWN for showering me with welcome-home goodies; and everyone who visited me in the hospital and sent their well-wishes—thank you each so very much!

  Thanks also to Abulia Paroxysm (Sebastian Phoenix) for creating music that is original and heartfelt and true. And to Queens of the Stone Age, Saul Williams, Saints of Ruin, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, and Rammstein for the music.

  And last, but never least, Trent Reznor, whose music always provides an emotional soundscape for Dante and his world and is always a source of inspiration.

  And, again, thanks to you, the reader, for picking up this book and plunging back into Dante, Heather, and Lucien’s world. None of this could happen without you. If this is your first time, bienvenue and enjoy.

  Please visit me at adrianphoenix.com, myspace.com/adriannikolasphoenix, and at facebook.com/pages/Adrian-Phoenix/.

  GLOSSARY

  To make things as simple as possible, I’ve listed not only words, but phrases used in the story. Please keep in mind that Cajun is different from Parisian French and the French generally spoken in Europe. Different grammatically and even, sometimes, in pronunciation and spelling.

  The French that Guy Mauvais and Justine Aucoin use is traditional French as opposed to Dante’s Cajun.

  For the Irish and Welsh words—including the ones I’ve created—pronunciation is provided.

  One final thing: Prejean is pronounced PRAY-zhawn.

  Aingeal (AIN-gyahl), angel. Fallen/Elohim word.

  Ami, (m) friend, (f) amie. Mon ami, my friend.

  Anhrefncathl (ann-HREVN-cathl), chaos song; the song of a Maker. Fallen/Elohim word.

  Apprentis, (pl) apprentices, (s) apprenti.

  Arrivederci, (Italian) good-bye.

  Assolutamente, (Italian) absolutely.

  Beaucoup chaud tête-rouge, red-hot redhead.

  Bien, well, very.

  Bien compris, well understood.

  Bon, good, nice, fine, kind.

  Bon appétit, enjoy (as in eating), good eating, good appetite.

  Bon chien, good dog.

  Bonne nuit, good night.

  Bonsoir, ma belle fille, good evening, my beautiful girl.

  Buona sera, (Italian) good evening.

  Buono, (Italian) good.

  Calon-cyfaill, (KAW-lawn-CUHV-aisle) bondmate, heartmate.

  Cara mia, (Italian) (f) my beloved, (m) Caro mio.

  Catin, (f) doll, dear, sweetheart.

  Ça va bien, I’m fine, I’m good, okay.

  Ça y est, that’s it.

  Ça y revené, he had it coming.

  Ce n’est pas possible, that is not possible.

  Cercle de Druide, Circle of Druids, a sacred and select nightkind order.

  C’est bon, that’s good.

  Chalkydri (chal-KOO-dree), winged serpentine demons of Sheol, subservient to the Elohim.

  Cher, (m) dear, beloved, (f) chère. Mon cher, my dear or my beloved.

  Cher ami, mon, (m) my dearest friend, my best friend; intimate, implying a special relationship.

  Chéri, (m) dearest, darling, honey, (f) chérie.

  Chien, (m) dog, (f) chienne.

  Ciao, (Italian) hello or good-bye—generally used only among friends and family in this way.

  Ciò è allineare, (Italian) this is true. Sapere di c’è ne, do you know of any?

  Creawdwr (KRAY-OW-dooer), creator; Maker/Un-maker; an extremely rare branch of the Elohim believed to be extinct. Last known creawdwr was Yahweh.

  Cydymaith (kuh-DUH-mith), companion.

  D’accord, okay.

  Elohim, (s and pl) the Fallen; the beings mythologized as fallen angels.

  Enchanté, charmed.

  Fallen, see Elohim.

  Fi’ de garce, son-of-a-bitch.

  Fille de sang, (f) blood-daughter; “turned” female off-spring of a vampire.

  Fils, son.

  Fils de sang, (m) blood-son; “turned” male offspring of a vampire.

  Fola Fior, true blood, pure.

  Forse sì, forse no, (Italian) perhaps yes, perhaps not.

  Frère du coeur, brother of the heart.

  Geis, A vow of obligation, and a taboo preventing certain actions. To break a geis results in dishonor an
d/or death.

  Gêné toi pas, don’t be bashful.

  Grazie, (Italian) thank you.

  J’ai faim, I’m hungry.

  Je regrette, I’m sorry.

  Je t’aime, mon fils. Toujours, I love you, my son. Always.

  Joli, (m) pretty, cute, (f) jolie. Mon joli, my pretty boy.

  J’su ici, I’m here.

  Le Conseil du Sang, the Council of Blood, nightkind lawgivers.

  Le coquin qui vole a un autre, le diable en ris, when one thief robs another, the devil laughs.

  Lesbica, (Italian) lesbian. Una lesbica, a lesbian.

  Llygad, (THLOO-gad) (s) eye; a watcher; keeper of immortal history; story-shaper, (pl). Llygaid (THLOO-guide).

  Ma belle, my beauty. Ma belle dame, my beautiful lady.

  Magnifico, (Italian) wonderful.

  Mais ça vont jamais finir, but it’ll never end.

  Ma mère, my mother.

  Marmot, (m) brat.

  Ma ’tite-doux, (f) my little sweet one.

  Menteuse, (f) liar, (m) menteur.

  Merci, thank you. Merci beaucoup, thanks a lot. Merci bien, thanks very much.

  Merde, shit.

  Mère de sang, (f) blood-mother; female vampire who has turned another and become their parent.

  Mia ballerina scura (Italian), my dark ballerina.

  Minou, (m) endearing name for a cat.

  Mio amico, (Italian) my friend.

  Mio figlio, (Italian) my son.

  Mio ragazzo bello, (Italian) my beautiful boy.

  Moi aussi, me too.

  M’selle, (f) abbreviated spoken form of mademoiselle, Miss, young lady.

  M’sieu, (m) abbreviated spoken form of monsieur, Mr., sir, gentleman.

  Naturellement, naturally, of course.

  Nephilim, the offspring resulting from Fallen and mortal unions.

  Nightbringer, a name/title given to Lucien De Noir.

  Nightkind, (s and pl) vampire; Dante’s term for vampires.

  Nomad, name for the pagan, gypsy-style clans who ride across the land.

  Oui, yes.