Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Warlord Wants Forever
    The Warlord Wants Forever
    The Warlord Wants Forever
    Ebook190 pages2 hours

    The Warlord Wants Forever

    By Kresley Cole

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to audiobook
    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Discover a dark and wicked new world in Kresley Cole’s remastered tale “The Warlord Wants Forever,” the first scorching installment in her #1 New York Times bestselling Immortals After Dark series....

    The Warlord

    Nikolai Wroth, a ruthless Vampire general, will stop at nothing to find his Bride, the one woman who can “blood” him, making his heart beat and filling him with strength. Coldly interested only in the power his Bride will bring, he can hardly believe when Myst the Coveted awakens him body—and soul.

    The Seductress

    Famed throughout the world as the most beautiful Valkyrie, Myst has devoted her life to protecting a magical jewel and to fighting the vampires. Wroth provides her with the perfect opportunity to torment her sworn enemy—for with his new heartbeat comes a consuming sexual desire that can only be slaked by her. Denying him, she flees, struggling to forget his searing, possessive kiss.

    The Hunt is on…

    She eludes him for five years, but he has finally chased her to ground and stolen her enchanted jewel, giving him absolute power over her. Now that she’s his for the taking, he intends to make her experience first-hand the agonizing, unending lust she subjected him to for half a decade. Yet when Nikolai realizes he wants far more than vengeance from Myst and frees her, will she come back to him?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPocket Star
    Release dateSep 25, 2017
    ISBN9781501166259
    Author

    Kresley Cole

    Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into over twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the US and abroad. Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. She lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals,” and spends any free time traveling. You can learn more about her and her work at KresleyCole.com or Facebook.com/KresleyCole.

    Read more from Kresley Cole

    Related to The Warlord Wants Forever

    Titles in the series (17)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Paranormal Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      In Love And War

      Jun 10, 2021

      April 1943 - Krakow, Poland Irena was bent over her needlework, stitching the frayed seam of her skirt when she heard a single gunshot ring out. She jerked and then scowled. After four years of war, she ought to be used to it. Why, the other night a

      11 min read

    • Article

      Slaying Monsters in Fiction

      Jan 23, 2018

      When a monstrous beast appears in a story, then it becomes, at least in part, what that story is about.  The post Slaying Monsters in Fiction appeared first on The Millions.

      6 min read

    • Article

      Crescent City

      Dec 1, 2021

      Crescent City
      5 min read

    • Article

      Strange Encounters

      Dec 16, 2021

      Strange Encounters
      5 min read

    • Article

      Perfect Prose II

      May 15, 2020

      Perfect Prose II
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Symmetry Of Ruby Margot

      Feb 6, 2020

      The Symmetry Of Ruby Margot
      10 min read

    • Article

      A Dragon’s Perspective

      Jun 10, 2022

      There once lived a dragon named Deathwing. Well, at least that’s what they called him. Deathwing was growing old, far too old for his liking. The joints of his claws ached and groaned under his ever-growing weight and his scales were beginning to los

      18 min read

    • Article

      'Dunbar' Is A Moving, Brutal And Apt Update Of 'King Lear'

      Oct 5, 2017

      For centuries, Shakespeare's tragedy was too painful for audiences; it was performed with an altered happy ending. But Edward St. Aubyn has never flinched at inflicting pain on his readers.

      4 min read

    • Article

      5 New Fantasy Novels Invigorate Old Tropes

      May 18, 2023

      Spell books, dragons, mermaids, fairies and a magic circus all take on new life in the pages of these five enchanting tales hitting shelves in May and June.

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Corridor Stories

      Sep 1, 2022

      The Corridor Stories
      5 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Oct 7, 2021

      Nigel Watson reported on the suggestion that the ancient aliens thesis was inherently racist because it refused to acknowledge the ability of people of colour to construct impressive edifices [FT409:32]. Now, while I don’t deny that some aficionados

      9 min read

    • Article

      Sympathy For The Vampire

      Oct 15, 2022

      Sympathy For The Vampire
      5 min read

    • Article

      In The Spotlight: Your Writing Genre - Busting

      Apr 4, 2024

      What an inventive lot the WM writers proved themselves to be with the ‘Genre-busting' submission call! The response was terrific, with a postbag full of playful, off-the wall writing that read as if its creators had a gonzo riot mashing up elements f

      5 min read

    • Article

      Hell-Cauldron

      Feb 25, 2020

      If the Wilderness was a place of death akin to hell, then it is only natural that some postwar authors portrayed the region as a haunt of ghosts and spirits. One Federal, returning to the battlefield to look for his fallen brother, found partially ex

      1 min read

    • Article

      10 Literary Witches To Hex Trump

      Mar 24, 2017

      In case you hadn’t heard, witches across America—including Lana Del Rey—are uniting to take down Trump via a binding spell, which calls on the spirits to keep the President from doing harm (it already seems to be working). Covens, communities, and so

      5 min read

    • Article

      International Books

      Sep 8, 2019

      Desperate to feel safe after a violent assault, a young author leaves London to teach at a university in the country. But as she navigates through student dramas and a demanding job, she realises her sense of safety is an illusion. A feeling of const

      5 min read

    • Article

      Sympathy For The Vampire

      Oct 14, 2022

      Sympathy For The Vampire
      5 min read

    • Article

      Yara And The Witch Queen

      Oct 1, 2019

      I knew the dangers of witchcraft. My parents had told me about the time before I was born, when magic plagued our desert kingdom of Bahati. Untrained witch doctors trying to cure warts ended up paralyzing their patients or turning them into crocodile

      10 min read

    • Article

      Remastering The Mythos: Questions For Ruthanna Emrys

      May 4, 2017

      When Ruthanna Emrys first read H.P. Lovecraft's classic tale "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," her sympathies were squarely with the monsters — and that sympathy was the seed of her new book, Winter Tide.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Alice And The Jabberwocky

      Apr 10, 2022

      ‘Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe. Once again, Alice found herself in her bedroom, feeling rather mimsy indeed. Every day now, at two o’clock, she would sit at

      18 min read

    • Article

      Excerpt: 'The Last Thing You Surrender'

      Feb 10, 2019

      In this abridged excerpt from "The Last Thing You Surrender" by columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr., elements of the all-black 761st Tank Battalion make a grisly discovery and Pvt. Luther Hayes, whose parents were murdered before his eyes by a white mob whe

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Warlord Wants Forever

    4/5

    372 ratings29 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      Paranormal Romance featuring a vampire and a Valkyrie. I tried this on the strength of the author's Game Maker series; but I was a bit underwhelmed. Of course, all romance novels are built on a set of pre-determined standards but the characters and settings are so hyper-caricaturized in this novel, it's nearly comical. Perhaps if I had read this series before the author's BDSM series; or if I hadn't inadvertently read yet another Valkyrie-based Paranormal Romance the week before, I might have been more open or more favorably inclined to this.
    • 3/5
      Why do I keep picking up romance novels? Because I loved her YA series and had hope for more of the same. Filled with melodrama of the crippling fear of the word "vagina," The Warlord Wants Forever doesn't stray far from any other paranormal smut books. That said, I did find the mythology intriguing.
    • 3/5
      The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole#1 Immortals After Dark (IAD)This novella starts off the popular series, Immortals After Dark. It centers around a female Valkyrie warrior, Myst the Coveted, who is descended from the gods, and the fated relationship she has with a former human turned powerful vampire warlord, Nikolai Wroth.Although it is set in present day, it has a much older feel at times. It's possible that the medieval aspect (including their homes which appear to be run-down castles or mansions) is to signify the age of these beings, as well as the supernatural or fantastical aspect of the creatures who fight amongst each other--demons, ghouls, vampires, gods, etc. It starts off at Mt. Oblak Castle in Russia then fast forwards to New Orleans, but because they can "trace" (teleport) to different locations, they can travel anywhere on earth instantaneously.I was not all that impressed with how the heroine, a Valkyrie (part god/part Furie) with centuries of experience in life and battle, started off so strong and then devolved into a spineless sexpot once she met the hero. It was quite clear (in her mind) that in order to love and be loved by Wroth she would have to give up being who she was--a strong, independent, respected warrior. The two species, Valkyrie and vampire, are natural enemies and are prone to kill each other, so Myst also feels she would have to endure an eternal separation from her three sisters if she chooses Wroth in order for everyone to be safe from one another. Her sisters are also fierce warriors, who are close to, but also seem very snarky toward Myst. I'm curious about their relationship because they all profess to be very close to each other, but Myst always feels relieved when she's away from them. Myst just came to accept with a sigh that Wroth would now be the one protecting her. That did change by the end of the story, but for a while it was disappointing that it was assumed this is the way it would be and she secretly was glad for it. Nothing wrong with that for most people, but come on! We're talking about a kick @ss warrior here who loves to be embroiled in battle. No way is she going to want to stay home and polish her toenails while he is out "being the man". This is one of those series where there is a fantasy element of being drawn together by blood or by some supernatural force. They cannot help themselves. They may be enemies and "hate" each other, but they have sexual chemistry which neither can fight. It's a good thing they do, too, because that's the thing that ends up saving them in the end. They start out with zero communication skills which causes the majority of the ridiculous parlaying and cat-fighting that goes on between them until the truth of their real feelings comes out and all seems to be right in the end. Although I cannot deny there was great physical chemistry between the MCs, the story itself was lacking something. It has some similarities to J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which I liked even with its faults, so I'll continue on and see if I start to get attached to Cole's characters and story like I did Ward's. If there weren't so many people recommending IAD, I probably wouldn't move forward in the series.
    • 3/5
      Good for a novella, nothing fancy though. People said that I should really give the second book a chance, because it gets much better and the series is a really good one. It was worth the read.
    • 3/5
      I always saw glimpses of this relationship in other books. I like Myst, but felt that Nikolai kept making weird decisions to make sure that Myst was really his mate. Once again, I like to focus on the couple and don't care for superfluous focus on other characters. Shallow? I don't care...
    • 4/5
      I didn't like it in the beginning but in the end the heroes stopped jumping on each other and at last there was some plot besides the sex. As a short story it was very nice but as an introduction to the series... it could have been better. Now that I've read the other books of the series, I'm glad I've read this as well, but had I started with it I'm not sure I would have gone and read the rest of the books.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars
      This was an interesting start to a series.. but there were some parts, where it seemed like the scene jumped a little. I may have been reading too fast. Otherwise, it was a short steamy paranormal read.
    • 4/5
      short and steamy
    • 4/5
      The Warlord Wants Forever
      3.5 Stars

      Synopsis
      Once a ruthless warlord and now a general in the rebel vampire army, Nikolai Wroth is shocked to discover that his Bride, the one woman who can make his heart beat again, is the incredibly beautiful but completely merciless Myst the Coveted, a Valkyrie warrior who has devoted her life to destroying vampires. Fortunately or unfortunately, Nikolai stumbles across the means to control Myst but does he want her subjugation or her love?

      Review
      After reading and enjoying A Hunger Like No Other, I felt that something was missing regarding Nikolai and Myst's backstory. So, I went back and read The Warlord Wants Forever even though I am not a fan of novellas because they are too short and the character development is usually meh. All in all, this does not disappoint but reading Hunger... first probably enhanced my enjoyment.

      Nikolai and Myst have an intense love/hate relationship that takes some getting used to but on the whole they each give as good as they get and ultimately deserve each other. Nikolai is too domineering for my taste, and some of his actions are cringe-worthy but his character does learn an important lesson. Myst is also an ambiguous character but once everything about her past is revealed, she becomes very sympathetic. One problem with her characterization is the incongruity between her ferocity and independence and her need to submit to another in order to find true love - this does not resonate well.

      The dialogue and humor are perfect in their snarkiness, and the sex scenes are steamy with a capital S but never become gratuitous.

      Even though this is a novella, it does not read as one and neither the plot nor the characterization are short changed. I do, however, recommend that it be read by those who have already begun the Immortals After Dark books as I would not consider it a good introduction to the series.
    • 4/5
      Read in book Playing Easy to Get
    • 4/5
      Finally, a vampire book where the gal fights back. I loved the sassy, sarcastic Valkyrie who sets off lightning when she gets worked up and the vampire that takes the pain away. The dialog between them is too funny. I wanted the book to go on so I could hear more about their exploits.
    • 3/5
      Myst is one stone cold lady.
    • 2/5


      I really liked the concept behind the Immortals After Dark series, particularly since I'm looking for some good paranormals after The Black Dagger Brotherhood. This novella acts as an introduction to the series and it left me mildly disappointed. The story felt rushed and it felt like the author was trying to do a whole lot in a very short book. I feel like this book would have made a very good 300 pager, and I was a little annoyed at how crowded the plot was and how undeveloped the characters were. I mean, there's a reason fantasy fiction tends to be tremendously long in terms of page length and I think it's because the author must create a new world for the reader and introduce him/her to it. In reading this novella, I felt thrown into the universe of the novel and didn't get a good feel for the way things worked. The "romance" between Myst and Wroth confused me and didn't quite move me because I didn't have an opportunity to see who these characters were so I couldn't really care about them.

      As a taste of the series and an introduction to Cole's writing style (in some ways, very Wardian,) this novella does its job and I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into the first (real) book of the series. As a standalone novella, The Warlord Wants Forever is mediocre at best in my opinion.

    • 3/5
      The Warlord Wants Forever is filled with as much passion, sexual tension and romance as its successors. The romance is fast paced and doesn't delve into too much detail about the Lore world Cole has created. We are given a brief introduction to the Valkyrie and Vampire world but it's enough to get your mouth wet for more of Immortals After Dark.
    • 3/5
      Why I did not start to read this series before? :)
      Intriguing introduction to the new world invented by Kresley Cole. I liked how she made a new twist to the vampires and other mythical creatures. I will definitely read the next book soon.
    • 3/5
      Ok so the Goodreads summary pretty much tells the whole damn story! LOL! I'm going to keep this short and sweet. I've heard so many great things about the Immortals After Dark series. It has been on my "to buy and read" radar since last year. But who has time to start a new series? Not I! So when Jen of That's What I'm Talking About came up with the IAD Reading Challenge and immediately jumped on board! I loved reading a The Warlord Wants Forever even though it took me a long time to warm up to Myst. There were several times where I was like, get over yourself already. But that's the way of the Valkyrie as you will soon find out, so you can't expect anything different from them. Other than my difficulty warming up to Myst, I enjoyed reading this novella and thought that it was great. It packs a lot of heat and you don't feel slighted where the plot is concerned because this is a short story. You can read the IAD series without reading the novella (that's what I did - not on purpose) but I think The Warlord Wants Forever does provide a lot of background information that's beneficial when reading the next book in the series, A Hunger Like No Other.
    • 4/5
      This was the first book of this author's work that I read & I really ejoyed it. The only reason I took away 1 star was because of the length. I wanted more!! I am immediately about to dive into book 2 in the series, so that should tell you something.
    • 4/5
      I feel so conflicted about this book. So lets start with the first problem you're going to run into when you read the first pages. The writing is fairly clumsy starting out. What I mean by that is you're not getting poet laureate stuff and it kind of smacks you around out the gate. But, I encourage you to contextualize and keep going. For one, Myst is so damn funny. If you let go of aspirations to divine literation I think you'll enjoy her.

      Two is, as I have learned in my life, compelling story is way better than artful word craft. It just is. My life is short (dunno about yours) and I want to read interesting worlds and interesting characters and interesting storylines and if its not New York Times High Great One Awards whatever. Feed me cotton candy, dommymommy.

      No seriously. If you had to curse me to pick I'd pick lousy writing with compelling story all day every day (its obviously not lousy writing, I'm just saying, give me a naughty candy bar. It doesn't have to be truffles. I don't even LIKE truffles.)

      In fact, working on my own writing its reminding me not to get so bogged down in wordcraft that I basically destroy my story. The risk of trying to make the sentences beautiful is that it can strip the beauty out of the story, and here the story is nom nom (except for the dubcon/noncon, see below). I love that the internet has given us this, so we can get away from feeling like we can't enjoy stories if they dont exist in standardized perfection. So, thank you to the author because you're helping save me some personal pain while I tippity tap on my own keyboard.

      I found myst and her family and her 'tude to be super interesting and I wanted to know more and that's what matters. I liked the blood memory device, and I liked the lowkey "plot twist" about the blood (I mean I anticipated it but I thought it was a great device). I've tried to read high brow books and never finished a few chapters. I burned through this in one sitting. I've been told rEAD tHe clASiCS as if they are the end all be all. no. Moby dick is boring. This is interesting. So just hang in there if you find the writing itself lacking in artistic merit and enjoy the ride.

      The other part I'm conflicted about is the male lead. I really just wanted him to die all the time. I really hated him. I really hated how he could get away with and excuse all of this toxicity and Myst was just like, mmmm dom me daddy. Don't get me wrong. Nothing like a good, give up my control, novel, but I just can't tolerate the four letter r word being dressed up as anything else. I don't know if I missed that in the warnings (probably did). See, the thing is, the way they did adore each other once they got over each conflict was great. I wanted to root for them sooooo bad. Instead I just kept hoping mysts sisters would kill him or he would die in the sunshine. I was actually rooting for Ivo. The main male lead is completely irredeemable and if I wrote fan fiction I would write some of this just so I could kill him.

      so
      I gave it a 4 because I liked the main female lead and the skeleton of the story and her life so much and would have given it a 2 if it has been all about the male lead because I hate the main male lead so much.

      tldr; content warning for the sex (dub-con/non-con), you're not getting Dostoevsky. Super interesting characters and world, and when you excise out the noncon (I made bookmarks) the spicy scenes are tasty. Female lead: five stars. Male lead, so few stars I wish he were dead.
    • 3/5
      2.7
      I like the Warlord and his Myst. He is overbearing, opinionated, scarred, loving, loyal and sexy. Myst is smart, strong, scarred, sexy and extremely not trusting. The perfect pair. Yeh, well good luck with that. LOL This couple has some stones to throw at each other and maybe even worse things. Things get HOT, dangerous, sad, heartwarming and then... everything goes to ________.
      Nice an quick a sweet little story. Don't miss it if you're reading the series.
    • 3/5
      I'm not really much one for paranormal actually, but author Sarah MacLean raved about this series, so I decided to try it anyway. I didn't love it, but I didn't really hate it either. I think I'll go ahead and try the first full length novel and see how that goes.
    • 4/5
      This is an interesting new take on paranormal beings. I've heard it only gets better so I am excited. The differences between these vampires and others I've read about are very intriguing. I love the thought of them having one "soul mate" so to speak that they must try to find. I've never read a book with Valkyries before so that was a change too.
    • 4/5
      I read this for the Terrifying Women square for Halloween Bingo

      Into the blood-splattered snow, the lone warrior fell to one knee and shuddered with weakness. Still, an arm shot out to raise a sword against the oncoming legion. Her dented breastplate swallowed her small form. Though the winds howled, whipping her hair, she heard the twang of the bowstring unleashed. She screamed in fury when the arrow punctured the center of her armor, the blow sending her flying back.
      The arrowhead had pierced through metal, then barely through her breastbone, just enough that her heart met the point with each beat. The beating of her own brave heart was killing her. But her scream had woken two nearby gods sleeping together through a brutal, wintry decade.
      They stirred and looked down upon the maiden, seeing in her eyes courage burning bright. Bravery and will had marked her entire life, but the light ebbed with death and they mourned it.
      Freya, the female god, whispered that they should take her courage and preserve it for eternity because it was so precious.

      The first in the Immortals After Dark series, we get the origins of the Valkyrie and an introduction to the lore. This was also a hot little number with Myst and Wroth rubbing all up on each other.
      It's an introduction novella, so the shorter word count leaves some to be desired with flushed out world but I loved our leads. Myst was kickass and Wroth, for all his confusion, was commanding but tolerant beast.
      The conflict comes from Myst's trust issues with men and Wroth not knowing how to navigate it and some hints as to the series future enemies may be.
      I enjoyed the hotness and excitement of it all.
    • 5/5
      Rating: 4½ Stars

      The Warlord Wants Forever is an exciting beginning to Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series. This story first appeared in the anthology Playing Easy to Get. (The blurb above gives an excellent plot summary.) The story focuses on the very passionate yet volatile relationship between Myst, a Valkyrie warrior, and Wroth, a general in the vampire army. Though mortal enemies, Wroth discovers that Myst is his Bride, the one who will give him great power once they bond, and he will stop at nothing to possess her. Myst, however, has no intension of submitting to a beastly vampire. Much of the sexual relationship between Wroth and Myst would be considered dubious consent or forced seduction. Personally, I enjoy the "bodice ripper" theme, though I know many readers are turned off by it. The sex is scorching hot, but it is also aggressive and somewhat cruel at times. Don't worry; I never felt like Wroth crossed the line of violence. He used great self-control when dealing with Myst, and he turned out to be the perfect alpha hero.

      This novella is a solid introduction to the world of the Immortals, in particular the history of the Valkyrie sisters. Often times short stories are too rushed and gloss over important details, but I think this is a perfectly paced, well-crafted story. The Valkyrie are a group of sharp-tongued, kick-ass warriors, and I loved them! It appears they will be the foundation of the series. We're also introduced to some of the other Lore creatures that we'll see in future books. If you've read the Immortals After Dark but missed this one, I highly recommend giving it a read!
    • 4/5
      This isn't going to be a very long review. It is hard to write a really through review of a Novella and not give something away. This is a nice introduction to the “Immortals after Dark” series. We are shown that there are more than just vampires living in this world. There are two vampire factions, Forebears and born, they are at war with each other. The born vampires are ravening killing machines that are out of control and no one in the Lore wants anything to do with them. The Forebears are trying to put an end to the born vampires. There is a lot of dirty fighting going on by both. The Valkyrie are warrior women that have been saved through history by Freya and Woden. They are from all parts of the Lore and the universally mistrust and hate males. Because the current King of the vampire tortured and imprisoned the leader of the Valkyrie, Furie, they are at war with the vampires. In addition there is the mention of Demons, Lykea (werewolves), and Fae.Our hero is Nikolai Worth who is an ancient warrior of some renowned. He fights for his king Kristoff. Nikolai and the Horde are ignorant of the Lore and all the species that are part of it. So he is unprepared for Myst. I also think that Myst is more than a little unprepared for what fate has up its sleeve for her. Nikolai is and honorable man that hasn't come fully into the modern world. Some of his ideas are still very eighteenth century. He is trying to catch up but it takes him a while to realize what he has gotten himself into.Myst the Coveted has been around for two thousand years and has never found any male strong enough to make her submit. So Nikolai is a real surprised. She also has to overcome some prejudices and hatreds. Like most of the Valkyrie she is a little on the insane side. She is a flirt and a tease. She is also a warrior.This novella gives a taste of the Lore and some of it many occupants. It would have been wonderful if it had been longer, I guess that is the problem with almost all novellas. I will say that there is a good amount of world building in this story and it does make you want to read the next story.
    • 4/5
      LOVE THIS SERIES!

      I was hooked immediately, and proceeded to devour all the books one after the other!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Nikolai is a vampire, has been searching for his destined love. His "Bride" is supposed to revive his undead body, making his heart beat again. Myst is a Valkyrie, an immortal, a warrior, with powerful sisters and a fierce independence streak. She doesn't need or want a man, having never found one strong enough to qualify as her match. I liked the mystical elements of this story and it was well written. The plot took a different turn than I expected, but there is so much potential here in the world the author creates. I liked it, even if it didn't "wow" me. Take that with a grain of salt, because it's purely my personal preference. The way the couple wielded sex as a weapon bugged me and the emotional love didn't make an appearance until the end. It was a much steamier read than I usually entertain and I wondered if I'd accidently picked up the erotica genre. That being said, I really liked the ending and the way the couple grew to understand each other. I'll continue with the series.

      ***Adult Content***

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this well enough by the end, and truly loved Myst's character, but the beginning was hard to take. The whole forced-sex scene isn't my bag, and I have a hard time ever forgiving a hero for pulling that shit.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      It was a good begining to the Immortals After Dark series. I liked both Myst and Wroth, individually and together. The only problem I had was the forced seduction, I had to put the book down for a day after reading that particular 'love' scene. Wroth chases down Myst, they beat each other up hard enough to leave behind bruises and blood, she says 'no' several times, and he forces her. It was stated they are like rough sex, but that was too much. For a novella the characters were fully realized and their journey to love and trust complete.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Not as big a fan of this one as I am of the later IAD books. I just found the whole dynamic weird and disturbing, no matter how well-adjusted Myst and Nikolai seem in the later books.

      1 person found this helpful

    Book preview

    The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole

    1

    Mount Oblak Castle, Russia

    FIVE YEARS AGO

    If the overgrown vampire didn’t stop staring at her, even his talent with a sword wouldn’t keep his head upon his shoulders.

    The thought made Myst, an immortal known as the Coveted One, grin as she watched two vampire armies battle from her cell window. She leapt up to the sill, curling up and resting her forehead against the reinforced bars.

    The poor warlord with his broad shoulders and jet-black hair was about to join a legion of other males—the ones whose last sight had been her smiling face.

    She tilted her head when he ducked and ran through an enemy. He was a big male, at least six and a half feet tall, but surprisingly fast.

    She knew fighting and liked his style. Dirty. He’d cut with his sword then strike out with his fist, or dodge a thrust then throw an elbow.

    What she wouldn’t give to be down there fighting. In the middle. Against both sides. Against him.

    She fought dirtier.

    His attention continued to stray toward her; once he’d even killed while his gaze was still on her. She’d blown him a kiss, sincerely, choosing to see it as a tribute.

    He found time to glance back even as he thundered orders to the army of rebel vampires. His strategy was brilliant, she grudgingly admitted, even though some of his men used firearms.

    Loreans scorned human weapons like these. Guns could only kill humans, which was beyond unsporting.

    Yet pesky bullets—aside from ruining couture—hurt. They could immobilize an immortal for precious seconds, long enough for a dirty fighter to take a foe’s head. Used enough times, they could help take an untakable castle like Ivo the Cruel’s.

    Ivo. Her jailer and tormentor.

    Myst hardly cared that he was about to have his ass handed to him. Her situation wouldn’t change, because these rebels, turned humans known as the Forbearers, were still vampires.

    A blood foe is a blood foe is a blood foe. . . .

    An explosion rocked the castle, then another. And another. Debris rained from the dungeon ceiling. In neighboring cells, low beings—those who made up the creature-feature underbelly of the Lore—howled.

    With each blast, their wails increased in volume, until . . . the battle was over.

    Silence. An aftershock here and there. A muted whimper.

    The defense of this castle was no more.

    Invading rebels searched for enemies, but Ivo and his men weren’t fight-to-the-death sorts. They’d probably teleported. He who fights and runs away, lives to run away another day. Ha.

    The sound of heavy footsteps echoed inside the dungeon. Someone was making his way down the corridor, directly to her cell. . . .

    The warlord appeared on the other side of the bars.

    From her perch in the window, she examined him. He had thick, straight black hair that hung over his face in careless sections, as if he’d sheared them off with a blade. Some hanks were kept from his field of vision with those small ravel plaits like the berserkers used to wear. His body was powerful, his muscles swollen from use.

    She wanted to purr—central casting had just sent her a fierce warlord!

    Come down from there, woman. Deep voice. Russian accent, moneyed, aristocratic.

    Or what? You’ll lock me away in a dungeon?

    I might free you.

    She was at the bars before he’d had time to lower his gaze from the window. Had his squared jaw slackened a touch? She listened for a quickening of his heart, but he had no heartbeat whatsoever.

    So the vampire was single?

    His eyes were clear of the red haze that marked bloodlust, which meant he had never drunk a being to death. But then a Forbearer never took blood straight from the flesh.

    Even after beholding her face up close, he didn’t immediately shove the key into the lock to free her. Yet his lips parted, exposing his fangs for her to see. His were kind of sexy—not too prominent or even much longer than a human’s canines.

    When she saw the short, splendid scar that passed down both of his lips, her lightning struck just outside. Scars, any external evidence of pain, attracted Myst. Pain forged strength. Strength begat electricity. This one could give it to her.

    He might even be missing an eye under a thick hank of hair.

    She stifled a throaty moan as her hand shot out to brush his hair back. But he was quick, catching her wrist. When she curled one finger in a beckoning gesture, he released her, allowing her to reach forward. She brushed his hair back, revealing a hard-planed, masculine face covered with grit and ash from the battle.

    He was still in possession of both of his eyes, and they were intense. Flinty gray.

    She dropped her hand and gripped the bars, lazily stroking them as her gaze dipped to his mouth again. She was surprised by how carnal she found it, especially since the vampire could use it to hurt her.

    The gold chain she’d worn around her waist for millennia now felt heavy on her.

    What are you? he asked in his pleasingly low voice.

    She realized his accent was actually Estonian, not Russian. The general was from neighboring Estonia, which made him a kind of Nordic Russian (though she doubted he would appreciate that description). She frowned at his question and pulled back her hair to reveal her pointed ear. Nothing? She parted her lips and tapped her tongue against her small, dormant fangs. No recognition.

    Rumors in the Lore held that King Kristoff and his Forbearers knew little of their fellow immortals. The male before her was an army leader, a general most likely, and he hadn’t a clue she was a Valkyrie.

    An enemy.

    Killing these Forbearers would be easy for her and her sisters. Too easy. Like being your own secret Santa.

    Myst had just confirmed rumors of asses and elbows—and this army’s inability to differentiate between the two.

    What are you? Nikolai demanded again, surprised his voice was steady.

    When he’d seen this female in the light, he’d felt like exhaling a stunned breath—if his kind respired.

    Flawless skin, coral lips, flame-red hair. The eyes that flickered over him were an impossible green.

    She was strikingly lovely, with a beauty only hinted at from a distance. On the battlefield, he’d been recklessly drawn to her.

    Though she clearly expected him to recognize her kind, he could determine only that she wasn’t human. Her ears said fey, but she also had the smallest fangs.

    Free me, the creature said.

    Swear fealty to my king, and I will.

    The way she held the bars was suggestive; everything about her was . . . suggestive. I can’t do that, but you’ve no right to keep me here.

    His brother Murdoch passed by, raised his eyebrows at Nikolai’s discovery, and muttered in Estonian, Sweet Christ. Then he walked on.

    Why was Nikolai unable to do the same? What are you? He wasn’t used to his questions going unanswered. And what’s your name?

    Another stroke of the bars. What do you want it to be?

    He scowled. Are you a vampire?

    Not the last time I checked. Her voice was sensual. He couldn’t place her drawling accent.

    Are you innocent of malice against us?

    She gave a dismissive wave. Oh, good gods, no. I love to kill leeches.

    Then rot in here. As if she could kill a vampire. She was scarcely over five feet tall and delicately built—aside from the generous breasts showcased in her tight shirt.

    When he turned to go, she called after him, I smell smoke. Ivo the Cruel burned his records before he fled, didn’t he?

    Nikolai stilled, clenching his fists because he’d have to return. Correct, he grated at the cell once more.

    And this new king’s army is full of Forbearers—turned humans? she asked. I’ll bet you chose to attack this particular Horde stronghold—over the four others, including the royal seat—because you needed Oblak’s records.

    How did she know their agenda so well?

    Nikolai could plan battles and sieges—he’d earned his rank by this victory alone—but he knew nothing of this new world that would help to advance the army. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one.

    The blind leading the blind, King Kristoff had muttered when they’d found the records reduced to a smoldering heap of ash.

    You think to bargain for your freedom? Nikolai said. If you do happen to have information, I can torture you for it.

    I wouldn’t recommend that, she said with a laugh. I dislike torture and grow sulky under pincers.

    The things in the other cells, many of which he never could have imagined, howled at that.

    Now, let’s not quarrel, vampire. Free me, and we’ll go to your room and talk. She offered her graceful hand to him. A smudge of ash was stark against her alabaster skin.

    I don’t think so.

    You’ll call for me. You’ll be lonely in your new quarters and will feel out of sorts. I could let you pet my hair until you fall asleep.

    He drew in closer to ask in all seriousness, You’re mad, aren’t you?

    As—a—hatter, she murmured back.

    He felt a hint of sympathy for the creature. How long have you been in here?

    For four long . . . interminable . . . days.

    He glowered.

    Which is why I want you to take me with you. I don’t eat much.

    The dungeon erupted with laughter again.

    Don’t hold your breath, female.

    Certainly not like you, Forbearer.

    How did you know what I am? And who we are?

    I know everything.

    If true, she had a wealth they lacked.

    Leave her, Murdoch called at the gateway of the dungeon. His brows were drawn, no doubt in puzzlement at his brother’s interest.

    Nikolai had never pursued women. When he’d been human, they’d either come to him or he’d gone without. He’d had no time during the war. As a vampire, he had no such need. Not until he could find his Bride.

    He shook his head at the insane, fey creature, then forced himself to walk on. But he thought he heard her whisper, Call for me, General, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

    He followed his brother to Kristoff’s new suite. Their king was gazing out into the night from a generous window—one that would be shuttered at dawn. When he turned to them, his gaunt face looked weary.

    Kristoff was the sole natural-born vampire among them. Killing his own kind must have been difficult for him, no matter how crazed the Horde had become—and no matter that they followed his uncle Demestriu, who’d stolen his crown centuries ago.

    Nikolai had no such hesitation. He was weary, but only because hacking through the Horde had overworked his sword arm. Were any of the records salvageable? he asked with little hope.

    If the vampires of this castle had spent as much energy fighting as burning, they might have kept Oblak. To Wroth’s disgust, they’d fled. He didn’t understand it. When defending your home, you fought to the death.

    He had.

    Kristoff answered, None.

    The rules of this new world were complex and often counterintuitive. Without those records, their own ignorance would defeat them.

    Kristoff, the rightful Horde king, had been raised by humans far from Demestriu’s reach. For centuries he had lived among mortals, hiding his true nature and discovering little of the Lore. His army consisted of human warriors he’d turned as they died on the battlefield, so they knew nothing more than he did.

    Nikolai had thought vampires were mere myths until Kristoff had stood over him like an angel of death, offering eternal life in exchange for eternal fealty.

    The Forbearers were trapped in a kind of twilight—no longer human and yet universally shunned by all the factions of the Lore. Those beings hid in the shadows, fleeing from whatever land Kristoff’s army occupied, working together to be one step ahead.

    Loreans had kept themselves hidden from humanity for ages. That same effort went into keeping Kristoff’s soldiers in the dark.

    Any sign of Conrad or Sebastian? Kristoff asked.

    Nikolai shook his head. He hadn’t seen his two other brothers since shortly after they’d been turned. But natural-born vampires often clashed

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1