Up Next: Lionheart

I've teased it here and there on Instagram, but the end of Golden Eagle makes it official: the next book in the series is titled Lionheart, named for Rob and his part-wolf, part-human company, which is named for their master, Richard I of England, dubbed "Richard the Lionheart" for his valor in battle and ferocious personality. Call me silly for being excited about the mere title of a book, but I am. Because though we finally get to meet Richard in the flesh - another highly controversial, larger-than-life historical figure, more legend than man at this point - the book's title isn't a simple and direct reference to him. It's about all our characters. It's about having the heart of a lion. It's - like every book in this series - about a lot of things, and I love choosing titles that start to make more and more sense as you read along. 

The main romantic focus of the book will be Red and Rooster, and their still-uncertain relationship. Red wants more, Rooster's trying to be a gentleman, and struggling with some conflicting emotions, and Marian just wants them to kiss like they mean it already. 

There's a lot more going on, though, and a lot of it was teased in GE. Under the cut in case you want to avoid spoilers!

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*SPOILERS*

Sasha chuffed unhappily. “It’s different for us. It wouldn’t just be vampire and Familiar. We’re…not just friends,” he said, awkwardly, flushing.

“Heh.” Much’s gaze went narrow and sly. “Then you should be asking Will about what it’s like to be bound.”

Historians like to debate Richard's sexuality, and a number of them get very defensive about insisting that Richard was Totally Super Straight. I don't think he was, so I'm not writing him that way. 

I could always lure someone in. Guards, princes, scientists. Everyone but Cicero – but oh, did I try. Gods, I tried. Those early days, when he had me in silver fetters, keeping me in a cave like some kind of animal. If he would just let me go, I told him. All I wanted was to die; I’d even let him swing the sword, and I’d make it worth his while, first. ‘My brother’s cold as a frozen lake,’ I said, ‘but come touch me, I’m warm.’ I thought he might, finally. But he just sobbed all over me, begging me to tell him what I’d done with Vlad. I wouldn’t, of course. Vlad needed to be kept out of the fray for a while, and that stupid wolf would only get him tangled in another war. The torture started in earnest the next morning. I suppose he hated that I’d seen him so vulnerable…”


Wait until Vlad reunites with Cicero, and finds out he was the one to first capture and torture his brother. Oh, boy. 

“I leave for Bucharest in a few days,” Vlad said. “I will end this.”

Bucharest, baby.

He let out an explosive breath. “God, I hate vampires,” he muttered. “Fine. Fine. Romulus is awake. I know because his Familiar told me.”

“I’m sorry. It sounded like you said ‘his Familiar.’”

“I did.”

“He’s awake?”

We'll find out more about "the Roman."



And, from Dragon Slayer...more reunions. 

Arslan. Turkish for lion.

Other things:

•  Red meets her parents!
•  Vlad meets Rich!
•  Bows and arrows!
•  Flashbacks!