#deadman's cross trilogy

[stygian-omadas-epic-chronicles]

Death Doesn’t Bargain (Deadman’s Cross #2) extended excerpt

Kalder was stunned by Thorn’s unexpected confession. How could the demon bastard have set him free into the world again, if he really knew who and what Kalder was? What he was capable of doing? It made no sense. . “You knew?” Savitar accused.             “Of course, I knew.” Thorn was indignant. “I’m not stupid. I leave that precarious state up to you, surf-for-brains.” Savitar sent a blast of fire straight at Thorn. Thorn returned it in full measure. “Don’t you even start with me, Chthonian. Or I’ll wedge your surfboard sideways into a piece of your anatomy you won’t ever forget.” “You traitorous bastard!” That sobered Thorn who stalked Savitar like a savage predator after the beast who’d wounded it. Rage bled out from every part of his body. “How dare you of all creatures accuse me of that!” Now it was Savitar’s turn to be indignant. “I beg your pardon?” “Beg all you want, but you won’t get it. And you heard me. As if your hands are any cleaner in this fight than mine, or that you’d be any less likely to switch sides. If you ever think for one heartbeat that I’d shift loyalties to my father, then you’d best think again, and remember that the day I do, I’d kill my son and wife in the process. So fuck you, Chthonian! And your suspicions! You can take them both and shove them up your ass and down your throat! My ties to the right side of this fight are a whole lot stronger than yours will ever be!” “Wife?” The captain gaped. Thorn froze instantly. Then took a step back as if suddenly remembering that he and Savitar weren’t the only two on the island. His features paled as he glanced about, and he became acutely aware of just how many had borne witness to his slip of the tongue.     Savitar gave him an evil smirk. “Yes, punkin’ we all heard what you said. Want to keep going? What other interesting tidbits are you planning to let out in the midst of your verbal spewage?” Thorn narrowed his gaze. “Careful, punkin’, you know what they say about those who live in glass houses.” “They get a lot of sunshine?” Thorn sneered at his sarcasm. “I was thinking they get covered in a lot of bug shit, myself. But tomato, tamahto.” Savitar twisted his jaw in a way that said he was barely restraining the urge to punch him. “You really make it hard not to gut you some days.” “Ditto.” “Well, I should have known . . .” Cameron gaped as a man appeared next to her and Kalder who was equal in height to Savitar. Which was to say, he was gigantic. Only instead of muscular, he was lean, yet every bit as lethal and powerful. There was no mistaking his power that said he could easily match the rest of them. And then some. The only difference was that he had exceptionally long black hair and eyes of mercury silver that swirled like the sea during a storm. Aged eyes that said he’d seen more than his fair share of trouble and misery. And he wore a plain black woolen coat more akin to the captain’s than an ornate one that was favored by Thorn, Bart or Will. At his approach, Thorn and Savitar stepped apart like two errant children who’d been caught squabbling by their parents, and wanted to hide their misbehavior before a grand spanking ensued. “He started it.” Savitar jerked his chin at Thorn. “Acheron!” Janice shouted in happiness. “Get me away from these idiots!” Cameron’s eyes widened as she realized that this was the mysterious Acheron Parthenopaeus who led the Dark-Hunters— the group of warriors charged with protecting mankind from the Daimons who preyed on them and their souls. Unlike Thorn’s Hellchasers who sent demons back to their dimensions after they escaped or broke whatever rule had allowed them a temporary reprieve, or the Necrodemians such as her brother who killed the dark demons who refused to go, or were too dangerous to be corralled without risking danger to the world or to humanity. Pausing in front of Savitar, Acheron arched a quizzical brow. “Question. Who locked my Huntress in a cave?” Kalder raised his hand. “That would me, but she’s free to leave at any time. I only did it to protect her from the sunlight.” “Then I won’t kill you.” Acheron made a sharp turn back toward Savitar and Thorn. “And you two idiots. . . . Seriously? We have a major demon infestation, buckling gates, and a Malachai on the loose, and you two are fighting like infants right in the middle of it all?” With a perturbed sneer, Savitar crossed his arms over his chest. “You know, you’re not so old, or so big, that I can’t spank you.” Sancha raised her hand to volunteer. “Might I have the honor of it? Or I could hold him down if you’d like. If he struggles, all the better, I say.” Acheron scoffed at her offer. “Careful, love. My bite is much worse than my bark.” She flashed an inviting grin. “Counting on that, love. Definitely, counting on that.” She gave him an inviting wink.

Now it was Thorn’s turn to smirk. “What can I say, old Ack? They were damned for a reason. And some, more so than others.”

Acheron shook his head. “Makes me glad I just have to wrangle Dark-Hunters. And a few stray Dream-Hunters and Weres.” “And I have to wrangle morons.” Savitar gestured at Thorn. “With the Lord King of them all standing right there in front of us. So I dare you to ask him about (parts removed for SPOILERS ). Go ahead. I dare you.” Acheron went still for about a heartbeat and a half. His eyes rippled red as his black hair fanned out. Yet unlike Savitar, he didn’t react. Instead, he pressed one finger to his temple as if suppressing a migraine. “Thorn . . . tell me you had a good reason for what you did.” (parts removed for SPOILERS ) Sadly, I miscalculated how long it’d take me to get to him, and Vine’s resourcefulness (parts removed for SPOILERS ) For that, I apologize.” Thorn cleared his throat pointedly. “To you, Ash. Not to surf-bum.” Thorn sighed heavily. “Hindsight, stupid plan. But given that I was in battle at the time, with Michael and Gabriel breathing down my throat and all manner of hell breaking loose, it was the best I could come up with.” Savitar finally calmed down. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” “You didn’t give me a chance, psycho-douche.” Acheron held his hand up. “Enough, children! With Adarian running loose in the Caribbean, we have enough problems without you two going at each other. Now play nicely, or I’m feeding you both to she who won’t be named.” Thorn rolled his eyes, then turned to curse at Kalder. “Of all the islands in all the worlds. You had to land on this one? Really?” Kalder shrugged. “I’ve always had bad aim.” Zumari laughed at that. Unlike him, the Maasai warrior was renowned for his skills at throwing knives and spears. “No lie to that. You should see him at a spear toss.” Growling low in the back of his throat, Thorn faced Mara and Devyl. “How long will it take for you to make a new ship?” Mara bit her lip as she considered it. “From scratch? Months. But I could bond with one quickly.” Her amber eyes danced with amusement. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare one just lying about, would you?” They all turned toward Acheron. At first he appeared irritated by the fact that they deferred to him, but with a sigh, he resigned himself to it. “Frigate or sloop?” he asked the captain. Devyl grinned. “First-rate, man-o’-war. I’ve always been partial. Besides, me aeromages need the room to maneuver in battle. And me lady doesn’t like to be cramped.” Acheron nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll have one docked and ready by dusk.” He jerked his chin at Savitar. “Can you manage to be hospitable until then?” “I’d rather be disemboweled. Or better yet, disembowel them.” “Sav . . .” He sneered at Acheron. “Don’t give me no lip, twerp. How’d you come by that wonderful pirate coat you’re wearing again?” Acheron gave him a droll stare. “Moral of the story isn’t to draw first blood. It’s to draw last.” Savitar rolled his eyes. “Fine. But remember you owe me. And Thorn owes me twice.” “Me?” Thorn groused. “Why do I owe you?” “I didn’t eat your little Thornkateers when they showed up on my beach without an invitation.” Thorn sputtered in indignation. “Need I remind you that you personally recommended about half of them for my crew? Doesn’t that make them Saviteers?” “Or would that be saboteurs?” Belle asked with a wicked gleam in her eye. In complete synchronicity with one another, Savitar and Thorn turned their heads to glare at her. And with the same, exact grimace of disdain. An impressive feat, indeed. Bart laughed while William grimaced. “Do those two always argue like an old married couple?” “They do,” Acheron said with a sigh. “Be grateful, you’ve only had to listen to them for a few minutes. I’ve had this shite ringing in my ears for over ten thousand years.” Bart scratched at his beard. “And you’re still sane?” Acheron shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion. Besides, sanity’s overrated.” “But silence isn’t. So let there be silence on my island. And peace, boys and girls. You can camp in the Omegrion chambers since I doubt the Were-Hunters will be visiting— and they better not be visiting ‘cause I can’t take any more creatures here today. There’s a reason I live in seclusion! Means I tend to eat anything that intrudes on it!” Savitar growled again. “Acheron, since he apparently has nothing better to do with his immortality than stick his skinny little nose in where it doesn’t belong, can show you where that is, then see about your ship so that you’ll be gone before I finish with my siesta. Thorn will watch you while you’re there, and make sure none of you piss on my rugs.” Thorn sputtered. “Excuse me?” “I tried to make an excuse for you once and this is what happened. I got stuck with you being a pain in my eternity. So be a good parent and mind your children while I nap. Keep them out of my underwear drawers and off my furniture for the duration of their stay.” And with that, Savitar vanished into thin air. Thorn ground his teeth. “Is it too late to summon an angry sea deity and sink this place?” Acheron gave him a cocky grin. “I can think of a vicious goddess of destruction who would love to help you out in that department. Especially since she’s not overly fond of him. However, there is one serious downside to releasing her.” Will cocked his head. “That is?” “End of the world,” the captain answered. “Hence the whole goddess of destruction moniker, lad. Goes with the territory.” “Mmm,” Acheron concurred. “Much like Sallie’s soul, once she comes out of her container, she’s a little hard to put back in it.” “Aye, but the last time she came out, she sank Atlantis.” Thorn glanced about the island. “This is considerably smaller than that. I’m thinking . . .” A bolt of lightning flew at his head. Thorn deflected it. “You missed me, Savitar.” A coconut hit him in the back so hard that it left him face down in the sand. “No, I didn’t.” The disembodied voice was plain and clearly Savitar’s. “I seriously hate you, Chthonian.”

[intrepidmare]

Deadmen Walking - Exclusive Excerpt

“Am I the only human on board this ship?” Devyl didn’t so much as blink at Cameron’s question as she came to rest right in front of him. If anything, the good captain appeared bored by her. “Suppose it depends on the definition one uses for human.” She gave him an irritated, droll stare as he repeated his quartermaster’s words in a bland mumble. “I am unamused by your hedging, Captain.” He arched a sardonic black brow that caused a chill to run down her spine. “Who says I’m hedging?” It was a titanic effort not to roll her eyes at a man, or perhaps infernal beast would be more accurate, she was quite certain might very well suck out her immortal soul and feast upon it. “Can you at least tell me why I was brought on board this ship, then?” “For your protection.” Why did she have such a hard time believing that? Probably because she couldn’t imagine a more dangerous group in existence than the one around her. “From?” Forget the crew, she was beginning to doubt if there could be anything more lethal or terrifying than the creatures who called this ship home.     He let out a long, slow breath as if seeking some sort of patience. “We are not your enemies, Miss Jack. Of that much, you can rest assured. While we might be an unsavory, untoward and uncivilized group, we are not without our honor.” “Meaning?”

“Meaning we reserve our venom for those who’ve earned it.” And those words failed to comfort her. “You’ll have to forgive me if your benediction causes me alarm.” “No need to apologize. You’ve every right to fear us. As I said, we are an unsavory lot.” He turned those dark, soulless eyes toward her and this time, she saw for a fact that they did indeed turn red as blood. They glowed in the darkness with an unholy light. “And an acquired taste.” Yelping at his sinister tone, she jumped back and crossed herself as true unmitigated horror engulfed her. This was not what she’d meant to sign on with when she’d promised herself and Lettice that she’d find her brother and bring him home. She was already gone longer than she’d ever anticipated. Longer than Nathaniel Harrison would forgive her for. Nor had she meant to find the devil’s ship and his crew to sail with. No doubt to hell itself they were bound! Dear heaven, I’ve consigned myself to Perdition . . . Everything had seemed so simple when she’d opened her brother’s letter and first set out on this quest. She was to come to Port Royal and ask a few questions. Find out why Paden hadn’t come home after the shipwreck that he’d obviously survived. Take him to task for being so cryptic, then return home to her life, with her wayward brother in tow and let Lettice beat him sideways for his thoughtlessness and the worry he’d given them. This was never supposed to be part of it. And the captain was definitely not part of the bargain. Bane froze as he witnessed the absolute stark terror inside Cameron. She literally quivered by his side to such an extent he was amazed she didn’t wet the planks beneath her feet.

There had been a time once when he’d lived to instill that amount of fear and intimidation in others. When the sight of petrified men had been mother’s milk to his cold, dead heart. Compassion and tenderness had been virtually unknown to his warring people.

And yet . . . In the flash of one single heartbeat, his mind took him back to the days when he hadn’t been the leader of his race. To the time before he’d first taken a life in battle and had been nothing more than the beloved older brother of his younger sister. No longer on this ship, he was again in the green meadows where he’d run as a boy. And as was his wont, he was off to join his friends to hunt for game and play for a rare afternoon of freedom— something he’d worked and suffered hard for. And as was typical of his sister, Elyzabel was hot on his heels, annoying the very piss from him. Five years his junior, she was a tiny wisp of a thing, yet she thought herself his equal in size and abilities. “What are you about, Du? Why are you carrying Ta’s spear? Does he know you have it?” “Aye, he knows. Why are you bothering me now with your inane prattle? Off with you! Isn’t there someone else you can annoy for once besides me?” “Are you off to hunt? Can I come? Please, please!” “Nay!” Turning on his heels, he’d growled at her. Then froze as he saw the tangles in her brown hair and the dirt on her freckled cheeks. More than that, he noted that beneath the dirt, a bruise had started to form that deepened the shade of her amber eyes, and there was a tear in her dress. Though scarce more than tick-size, she was ever ready to stand toe-to-toe with him, never flinching in her temerity whenever he’d said or done anything that displeased her. She would even dare to shove at him when no man save their father would so much as meet his gaze in anger. Shout in his face whenever she was mad at him. She even stood up to their father during his most drunken rages. Her guts and fire had always amused and amazed him, even when he’d wanted to put her through a wall for not listening to him, or hiding when it was the more prudent thing to do. In all his life, he’d never loved anyone as much as he’d loved his little sister. Not even Vine. But while he might have verbally fought with his sister whenever she pushed the boundaries of his patience and all common sense, by the very gods, no one else was allowed to do such and no one was ever to lay hands to her. No one. Not even their father. And he had the scars to prove it. “What’s all this about?” he asked, gentling his tone as he indicated her cheek. Elyzabel glanced away. “‘Tis naught. Can I come with you?” “Elf . . .” he’d chided, cupping her chin and gentling his tone with her. “Tell me what happened to you, lass.” She let out a long sigh before she finally screwed her face up and confessed it. “‘Twas the beast!” “Derphin?” “Nay. The other hairy one I hate most.” “Ilex?” “Aye! He said a girl wasn’t fit to climb a tree and that I should get back to me mum’s breast before I got hurt. So I climbed the tree to show him and then he shoved me down and we fought about it.” Those words had ignited his fuse. “He hit you?” She nodded. That had been the first time Devyl had met the part of himself that had made him famous on the battlefield. That cold, unreasoning beast that wouldn’t stop until he had his enemy lying in pieces at his feet, either dead or begging for a mercy he’d never shown anyone save his precious Elyzabel. Only Elf had ever stayed his furious hand. Only her tears had ever moved him to mercy or compassion. Until today. Something about Cameron reminded him of his precious sister and this tiny chit touched the last shred of a humanity he’d thought had gone to the grave with his Elf. Sink me . . . Cameron swallowed hard as she met Bane’s fierce, bloody gaze. For the first time, she saw the slightest softening of his demonic countenance. The merest glimpse of a soul beneath the evil. His grimace lightened as he held one large hand out toward her. “There’s no need in that, lass.” Refusing to give in to her terror, she forced herself to her feet and fell back on the strength Paden had taught her to stand on after the death of their parents. Let no one see your weakness, Cam. Ever. We are Jacks, by God. And Jacks don’t buckle or fold. In it for a half-pence. In it for a pound. For that matter, she was in this whole matter way over her head. No way out now. Hell, or high-water. Or Damnation, itself. Whatever it took. She had no choice, except to see it through. “I still don’t understand why it is you brought me here, Captain.” “Truth? Neither do I. Other than I fear something quite unholy has taken control of your brother. My experience with such things is that when they happen and the poor bastard who’s held enthrall reaches out to an innocent such as yourself . . . the consequences are always dire to said innocent, especially when it involves something as important as the trinket in your pocket.” “It’s not a worthless bauble, then?” The wind whipped at his black wavy hair while his eyes faded back to their ebony color. He glanced across the stormy sea surrounding them. “Quite the contrary, Miss Jack. Wars have been waged for that bit of gold you keep, and countless throats cut. Tell no one else you carry it. Ever.” He glowered at her. “How your brother managed to get that to you is what puzzles me most.” “It came in the post.” He gaped at her as he found that the most incredulous bit of all. She held her hand up in solemn testimony. “I swear it. I thought it nothing more than a letter that must have been sent before he left on his voyage. I kept it nigh on a fortnight before I could bring myself to open it to read it, and then when I did . . .” “Did anything strange happen to you around the time you received it?” “Other than meeting all of you?” His dark grimace said that he didn’t appreciate her humor. She softened her own expression to let him know she was teasing. “Nay, Captain. Nothing untoward.” In fact, she’d not had so much as a nightmare since receiving it, which was strange given that she’d a number of them before it came.         “Very peculiar, indeed.” Cameron narrowed her gaze on him as he continued to watch the dark waters around them, as if seeking something only he could detect. “What is it that you’re not telling me?” The red returned to his eyes an instant before he dropped his coat from his shoulders in one fast, graceful shrug and unsheathed his cutlass. “Kalder! Off to port! Sancha, bring a spring upon her cable! They’re coming up our stern!” He took Cameron’s arm and gently nudged her toward William while Kalder jumped over the side, into the sea below. “Seal her to my quarters for the fight.” “Aye, aye, Captain.” William grabbed her fast and hauled her away. But not before she saw what was rising up from the bowels of the stygian waves to engage them. Holy mother and all her saints . . . !     Cameron couldn’t breathe at the sight of what had to be Lucifer’s own prized pet shark he’d crossbred with an octopus. Scaly, huge and tentacled like nothing she’d ever seen or heard of, it came after them while the crew took aim and fired cannons at it. The deck beneath her feet vibrated from the recoil of it all. Her ears rang from the sharp percussion. William shoved her into Bane’s quarters and slammed the door tight. Gaping and terrified, Cameron stumbled toward the windows to watch the creature that was after them. One who appeared to have brought even more sinister friends with it. Her heart pounding in her chest, the sound of rushing blood and more cannon fire, along with shouts and wind filled her ears. The smell of gunpowder and sea nauseated her. Never, never had she seen or heard such. This was the stuff of nightmares and horror. From where she stood, she could see Kalder against the beast that dwarfed him as they tangled in the water. The merman stabbed it with a long spear while Captain Bane sent balls of fire from his fists into its scaly hide. The creature screamed and arched its back, reaching for them both with its thorny tentacles. Until the beast met her gaze through the lead glass as if it sensed her watching it. Time hung still for a long minute until it let out a piercing cry unlike anything she’d ever heard. It was so shrill, it shattered the glass between them, raining pieces of it over her. Closing her eyes, she raised her arms to protect her face, until the shrapnel settled. The ship rocked from the fierce waves the creature caused. Nauseated by the rolling sensation, she staggered against Captain Bane’s desk. Winds from the sea whipped against her, tearing pieces of her hair free from her queue. With a deep growl, the creature dove for her, heading straight toward the cabin where she gripped the desk so tightly, the wood bruised the palms of her hands. In that moment of sheer, utter terror and unbelievable horror that reminded her she was without weapon or protection, Cameron reached for her medallion in her pocket and remembered the prayer her mother had taught her as a girl. The one that Paden had always recited with her whenever she was scared . . . “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. No evil shall befall thee, and neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because He hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set Him on high, because He hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer Him. I will be with Him in trouble. I will deliver Him, and honor Him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” No sooner had she finished those words than her pocket and hand began to heat up— the pocket where she held the stashed talisman Paden had sent her for her protection should she need it. # Devyl staggered back as he saw the shimmering veil fall over the ship and every member of his crew. It even covered Kalder in the water. A gossamer shimmer rained down like a Spring shower. Only instead of leaving them wet, it cast their skin in a light, ethereal glow, like that of coal that held fire inside its darkness. William and Bart stared at each other with slack-jaws. Then they turned toward him for an explanation he couldn’t even begin to give them. “Captain?” Belle asked as she shimmed from the rigging and moved to stand beside him. He had no answer for her, either. Not for this.     And definitely not for whatever caused the beast and its compatriots in the water to splinter into a fine shimmering mist that settled over the waves only to vanish in the blink of an eye. What the hell? If that wasn’t shocking enough, a huge wave lifted Kalder from the sea and set him down on the deck near the prow, as if to make sure he was safe, along with the rest of them. His own jaw agape, Devyl handed his sword off to Belle before he made his way toward the only source for this he could imagine. Cameron Jack. He found her in his cabin, on her knees, clutching at the disc her brother had sent her. Her eyes had lost all color to them. Her lips as pale as her body as she whispered a barely audible prayer. Even her hair had turned stark white. The only color on her body were the cuts left by the shattered windows. Yet the strangest part? Glass hovered in the air around her, forming the illusion of glittering wings that jutted out from her back. William drew up short behind him and cursed. “What manner of creature is she?” When Bart stepped around them with a raised sword to attack her, Devyl stopped and disarmed him. “She’s not our enemy, Mr. Meers.” He returned the sword. “What is she?” he repeated William’s question. “Something that would piss down the leg of those what don’t think much of us if they knew she was among our crew. And it explains much about what happened to her brother and why the Plate Fleet be sunk as it was.” William scowled. “You’ve lost me, Captain.” Devyl carefully closed the distance between them before he took the medallion from Cameron’s hand. The moment he had it pried loose from her grip, her hair returned to its natural chestnut shade and the blue-green color to her eyes. The glass fell to the floor where it struck and let out a small, tinkling sound reminiscent of jester bells. Cameron blinked twice as if waking from a deep slumber. With a fierce grimace, she glanced between them. “Is the fighting over?” Bitterly amused, Devyl released a tired breath as he rubbed his thumb against the searing medallion. The ancient power and the soul of the warrior it contained thrummed from the metal, similar to a heartbeat. No wonder Menyara had sent her to them. Damn that interfering bitch for it. “Aye.” He glanced to his men over his shoulder. “It appears we needs amend our earlier answer to the lass, Mr. Death.” “Deeth . . . and what answer be that, Captain?” “There are no humans aboard this ship, at all.”

[mynerdylockscreens]

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[sandythereadingcafe]

REVIEW:

AT DEATH’S DOOR (Deadman’s Cross) by Sherrilyn Kenyon at The Reading Cafe:

‘At Death’s Door is a must read to finish of this trilogy’

http://www.thereadingcafe.com/at-deaths-door-by-sherrilyn-kenyon-a-review/

[booksandwords]

At Death's Door by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Series: Deadman’s Cross, #3 Read Time: 2 Days Rating: 4/5

The quote: Pish to the posh on that. I don't believe in catering to male egos. Figure yours is large enough already. Why make it grow any larger? — Valynda Moore (to Adarian Malachai - Valynda is a total badass, shes takes no shit from no man)

Let me start by saying this is quite a difficult book to review and rate. I'm giving it 4 stars because it is for fans. I'm not sold on this being a book that is able to be gifted or picked up by a person with no knowledge of Sherri's works. There is a lot of assumed knowledge and interconnectivity. It feels like a lot and can be quite overwhelming if you don't know Sherri and her Hunter world. For some background on where I am on that, I've read about half of the Chronicles of Nick, and come and go from the Hunter world (Dark, Were and Dream-Hunters). I've read maybe half a dozen and really want to read more. While the previous two books could be read without confusion, this one it depends on the reader.

To start with the relationship in play here is very different from the two before it. Valynda and Nibo have been lovers for years her lack of a body makes it difficult but they make it work. That relationship and Valynda's insecurities are used against her because Adarian is around doing his Malachi thing. Perhaps the element that requires the most adjustment is the names. Valynda uses the name Xuri for Nibo, his true name, she is basically the only one that does, including him. He and everyone else refers to him has Nibo.

The plot isn't predictable, and I appreciated the core of the ending. It is paced well and can be followed with ease largely. The characters are the complication, that is where the connectivity comes in. The characters from the previous books make appearances. There is are some plot holes but I've read Deadman Walking and Death Doesn't Bargain in the last 3 days so they are recent for me. The story does end though in a largely satisfying way, there are some loose ends but nothing pressing. The two main characters Nibo and Valynda are charming, I wanted their happiness. I liked that we knew what they didn't, that there was no malice between them, but that they were conspired against. Nibo in particular is nothing like what I was expecting, the man is honestly terrifying, he wields an awful lot of power for the Hunter world, even if he does belong to an entirely different pantheon. Overall it is a pleasant read.

Some dot points to just get down some of the things I really liked.

The whole The Flying Dutchman plot point.

Belle's story. No one deserves the shit Sherri has gone through and this story just hit close.

I think At Death's Door was supposed to be the last story in a trilogy, if there is a third it will be Jake and Sancha. Sancha getting some peace made me happy.

There are so many great quotes about women and life in here. Mostly from Nibo which I didn't expect.

It paints an interesting picture of Jaden. I know of Jaden. But he's a little more selfless than I thought.

The illustrations above the chapters are lovely. I liked the variety. So much of it was tied to Nibo and his people. The illustration of Nibo and I'm assuming Valynda is gorgeous. I love it

SIMI CAMEO!!!! "Baron Sexy! It's so good to see you!" - Simi on Nibo. And Simi my love I can 100% get on board with that. Also, Simi in 1700s clothes is still the cutest thing.

I did find the theme to the Deadman's Cross novels. Devyl, Kalder and Nibo are all on friendly-ish terms with the big 3 from the Hunter world (Sav, Ash and Thorn), Kalder in particular. All three man ave similar personality traits even if their skill sets are different. These 3 books are all about very old, nearly immortal men with serious darkness within them and their younger women, their calming forces, anchors to their humanity. Devyl and Mara age is not an issue they are both ancient but I got the feeling that he was older than her. Kalder is as old as Devyl, Cam is human (ish). Nibo is complicated but essentially he's long, long dead, Val is also complicated but they met when she was 16ish. As with virtually all of Sherri's relationships the women are in total control, whether they know it or not is a completely different issue.

A word of advice there is three ways to read At Death Door, 1. know the Hunter World, 2. know the basics and keep a wiki nearby or 3. let it all wash over you and stay for the Deadmen. I went with option 2. I used a wiki a lot a tried to keep everyone and their insane families, names and interwoven stories straight. But it is a lot, the Hunter world is a lot. Deadman Walking and Death Doesn't Bargain do not prepare you for At Death's Door. They are glimpses of the Hunter world this is all in. I would like to know where it fits chronologically though. The 1700s. The epilogue gives some clues but not enough.

I think I will need to read this again. While this is a long review I feel like I haven't done the book justice. I think I need to reread it now I know the plot. To find what I missed, the connections, the people. I do recommend it but only to people who enjoyed books 1&2 and Sherri's fans

[fic-dreamin]

Good but not my Favorite. The Deadmen return as secondary characters in this story of Kalder and Cameron. Kalder is a merperson who has family issues and Cameron is a girl who has been to hell and back. Both are smitten with each other but have a lot of family baggage to deal with. As they fight against their desires, they must also fight against the demons who are out to destroy the world. Go to Amazon

Too much repetitive internal world. I really loved the first book in this series, but this one is waxing poetic too much. waisting two or three pages repeating the same internal thoughts and world that are making this book hard to read. This is a road block to the actual story and it taxes too much of the reader's attention with it. A little more action please. A lot less waisting pages and time on "whoa is me" internal dialogue. Go to Amazon

Beautiful flawed and perfectly haunting. <3 I loved it. Then again, Sherrilyn Kenyon is my ultimate go to author being as her words are gold. So...maybe, I'm a little biased? However, I really enjoyed the little secrets we learned about Thorn and the scenes with all my favorite interconnecting characters. I love the way it meshes with the present dark-hunter world and gives you glimpses of the past and future. And, the CHARACTERS! I love them all. They're so beautifully flawed. Hopefully, some of the Deadmen's crew will get their own stories once this trilogy is finished? Go to Amazon

Death doesn't bargain This is Calder and Cam's book. Second in the Deadman spinoff connected to the Dark Hunters series. The Deadman crew are all in this book, with some more being told about histories of some of the characters. Savitar is in this as well as Ash and Simi. The reason for the five stars is answering questions about characters and insight of long time ones. Priceless that in itself. Calder is a kick butt male that will win you over as he did to me. Cam is very worthy of him. Go to Amazon

Mermen The wait was worth it. Kaiser is a bad a-- to the extreme! It was a little slow getting to the action but it was good. SK all of your heroes need therapy BAD, maybe that's why I love them all. I recommend this book to all my friends. Go to Amazon

Death does not bargain. Love Kenyon she is a super author but do not care for this series it is hard to read, skips around too much. I like to find out about Savitar, Thorn, and Acheron. But the few pages that actually contain smooth reading are few. Go to Amazon

A Series Worth Your Time! This series is a blast! The characters are very relatable and the plot evolves in a way that you will remember until the next book in the series comes out. This and the Dark Hunter series are the best! Go to Amazon

Awesome!! This series A Dead man's Cross holds me from beginning to end. Great storyline and awesome characters. Thank you for Acheron and Savitar included in this new series. Waiting anxiously for #3👍 Go to Amazon

Pirates, Demons, Smexy and More Service One Star Five Stars This is an intense adventure! Great read Five Stars Good book My love for Sherrilyn Kenyon’s pirates from her Deadman’s Cross series continues. What's not to like! I love Sherrilyn Kenyon's series of books on ...

[fic-dreamin]

Good but not my Favorite. The Deadmen return as secondary characters in this story of Kalder and Cameron. Kalder is a merperson who has family issues and Cameron is a girl who has been to hell and back. Both are smitten with each other but have a lot of family baggage to deal with. As they fight against their desires, they must also fight against the demons who are out to destroy the world. Go to Amazon

Too much repetitive internal world. I really loved the first book in this series, but this one is waxing poetic too much. waisting two or three pages repeating the same internal thoughts and world that are making this book hard to read. This is a road block to the actual story and it taxes too much of the reader's attention with it. A little more action please. A lot less waisting pages and time on "whoa is me" internal dialogue. Go to Amazon

Beautiful flawed and perfectly haunting. <3 I loved it. Then again, Sherrilyn Kenyon is my ultimate go to author being as her words are gold. So...maybe, I'm a little biased? However, I really enjoyed the little secrets we learned about Thorn and the scenes with all my favorite interconnecting characters. I love the way it meshes with the present dark-hunter world and gives you glimpses of the past and future. And, the CHARACTERS! I love them all. They're so beautifully flawed. Hopefully, some of the Deadmen's crew will get their own stories once this trilogy is finished? Go to Amazon

Death doesn't bargain This is Calder and Cam's book. Second in the Deadman spinoff connected to the Dark Hunters series. The Deadman crew are all in this book, with some more being told about histories of some of the characters. Savitar is in this as well as Ash and Simi. The reason for the five stars is answering questions about characters and insight of long time ones. Priceless that in itself. Calder is a kick butt male that will win you over as he did to me. Cam is very worthy of him. Go to Amazon

Mermen The wait was worth it. Kaiser is a bad a-- to the extreme! It was a little slow getting to the action but it was good. SK all of your heroes need therapy BAD, maybe that's why I love them all. I recommend this book to all my friends. Go to Amazon

Death does not bargain. Love Kenyon she is a super author but do not care for this series it is hard to read, skips around too much. I like to find out about Savitar, Thorn, and Acheron. But the few pages that actually contain smooth reading are few. Go to Amazon

A Series Worth Your Time! This series is a blast! The characters are very relatable and the plot evolves in a way that you will remember until the next book in the series comes out. This and the Dark Hunter series are the best! Go to Amazon

Awesome!! This series A Dead man's Cross holds me from beginning to end. Great storyline and awesome characters. Thank you for Acheron and Savitar included in this new series. Waiting anxiously for #3👍 Go to Amazon

Pirates, Demons, Smexy and More Service One Star Five Stars This is an intense adventure! Great read Five Stars Good book My love for Sherrilyn Kenyon’s pirates from her Deadman’s Cross series continues. What's not to like! I love Sherrilyn Kenyon's series of books on ...

[stygian-omadas-epic-chronicles]

Death Doesn’t Bargain (Deadman’s Cross #2) - Sneak Peek

“Well, I should have known. . . .” Cameron gaped as a man appeared next to her and Kalder who was equal in height to Savitar. Which was to say, he was gigantic. Only instead of being muscular, he was lean, yet every bit as lethal and mysterious. There was no mistaking his power that said he could easily match the rest of them. And then some. The only difference was that he had exceptionally long black hair and eyes of mercury silver that swirled like the sea during a storm. Aged eyes that said he’d seen more than his fair share of trouble and misery. And he wore a plain black woolen coat more akin to the captain’s than the ornate style favored by Thorn, Bart, or Will. At his approach, Thorn and Savitar stepped apart like two errant children who’d been caught squabbling by their parents and wanted to hide their misbehavior before a grand spanking ensued. “He started it.” Savitar jerked his chin at Thorn. “Acheron!” Janice shouted in happiness. “Get me away from these idiots!”

Cameron’s eyes widened as she realized that this was the mysterious Acheron Parthenopaeus who led the Dark-Hunters—the group of warriors charged with protecting mankind from the Daimons who preyed on them and their souls. Unlike Thorn’s Hellchasers, who sent demons back to their dimensions after they escaped or broke whatever rule had allowed them a temporary reprieve, or the Necrodemians such as her brother, who killed the dark demons who refused to go or were too dangerous to be corralled without risking danger to the world or to humanity, the Dark-Hunters were more akin to assassins for the gods. Pausing in front of Savitar, Acheron arched a quizzical brow. “Question. Who locked my Huntress in a cave?” Kalder raised his hand. “That would be me, but she’s free to leave at any time. I only did it to protect her from the sunlight.” “Then I won’t kill you.” Acheron made a sharp turn back toward Savitar and Thorn. “And you two idiots . . . Seriously? We have a major demon infestation, buckling gates, and a Malachai on the loose, and you two are fighting like infants right in the middle of it all?” With a perturbed sneer, Savitar crossed his arms over his chest. “You know, you’re not so old, or so big, that I can’t spank you.” Sancha raised her hand to volunteer. “Might I have the honor of it? Or I could hold him down if you’d like. If he struggles, all the better, I say.” Acheron scoffed at her offer. “Careful, love. My bite is much worse than my bark.” She flashed an inviting grin. “Counting on that, love. Definitely counting on that.” She gave him an inviting wink. Now it was Thorn’s turn to smirk. “What can I say, old Ack? They were damned for a reason. And some more so than others.” Acheron shook his head. “Makes me glad I just have to wrangle Dark-Hunters.And a few stray Dream-Hunters and Were-Hunters.” “And I have to wrangle morons.” Savitar gestured at Thorn. “With the lord king of them standing right there in front of us. So I dare you to ask him about the Cyphnian he knowingly sent down to Vine to play with and her friends. Go ahead. I dare you.” Acheron went still for about a heartbeat and a half. His eyes rippled red as his black hair fanned out.Yet unlike Savitar, he didn’t react. Instead, he pressed one finger to his temple as if suppressing a migraine. “Thorn . . . tell me you had a good reason for what you did.” (cut for spoiler) Thorn sighed heavily. “Hindsight, stupid plan. But given that I was in battle at the time, with Michael and Gabriel breathing down my throat and all manner of hell breaking loose, it was the best I could come up with.” Savitar finally calmed down. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” “You didn’t give me a chance, psycho-douche.” Acheron held his hand up. “Knock it off, children! With Adarian running loose in the Caribbean, we have enough problems without you two going at each other. Now play nicely, or I’m feeding you both to she who won’t be named.” Thorn rolled his eyes, then turned to curse at Kalder. “Of all the islands in all the worlds. You had to land on this one? Really?” Kalder shrugged. “I’ve always had bad aim.” Zumari laughed at that. Unlike Kalder, the Maasai warrior was renowned for his skills at throwing knives and spears. “No lie to that. You should see him at a spear toss.” Growling low in the back of his throat, Thorn faced Mara and Devyl. “How long will it take for you to make a new ship?” Mara bit her lip as she considered it. “From scratch? Months. But I could bond with one quickly.” Her amber eyes danced with amusement. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare one just lying about, would you?” They all turned toward Acheron. At first he appeared irritated by the fact that they deferred to him, but with a sigh, he resigned himself to it. “Frigate or sloop?” he asked the captain. Devyl grinned. “First-rate man-o’-war. I’ve always been partial. Besides, me aeromages need the room to maneuver in battle. And me lady doesn’t like to be cramped.” Acheron nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll have one docked and ready by dusk.” He jerked his chin at Savitar. “Can you manage to be hospitable until then?” “I’d rather be disemboweled. Or better yet, disembowel them.” “Sav . . .” He sneered at Acheron. “Don’t give me no lip, twerp. How’d you come by that wonderful pirate coat you’re wearing, again?” Acheron gave him a droll stare. “Moral of the story isn’t to draw first blood. It’s to draw last.” Savitar rolled his eyes. “Fine. But remember, you owe me. And Thorn owes me twice.” “Me?” Thorn groused. “Why do I owe you?” “I didn’t eat your little Thornkateers when they showed up on my beach without an invitation.” Thorn sputtered in indignation. “Need I remind you that you personally recommended about half of them for my crew? Doesn’t that make them Saviteers?” “Or would that be saboteurs?” Belle asked with a wicked gleam in her eye. In complete synchronicity with each other, Savitar and Thorn turned their heads to glare at her. And with the same exact grimace of disdain. An impressive feat, indeed. Bart laughed while William grimaced. “Do those two always argue like an old married couple?” “They do,” Acheron said with a sigh. “Be grateful, you’ve only had to listen to them for a few minutes. I’ve had this shite ringing in my ears for several thousand years.” Bart scratched at his beard. “And you’re still sane?” Acheron shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion. Besides, sanity’s overrated.” “But silence isn’t. So let there be silence on my island. And peace, boys and girls. You can camp in the Omegrion chambers since I doubt the Were-Hunters will be visiting—and they better not be visiting ’cause I can’t take any more creatures here today. There’s a reason I live in seclusion! Means I tend to eat anything that intrudes on it!” Savitar growled again. “Acheron, since he apparently has nothing better to do with his immortality than stick his skinny little nose in where it doesn’t belong, can show you where that is, then see about your ship so that you’ll be gone before I finish with my siesta. Thorn will watch you while you’re there, and make sure none of you piss on my rugs.” Thorn sputtered. “Excuse me?” “I tried to make an excuse for you once and this is what happened. I got stuck with you being a pain in my eternity. So be a good parent and mind your children while I nap. Keep them out of my underwear drawers and off my furniture for the duration of their stay.” And with that, Savitar vanished into thin air. Thorn ground his teeth. “Is it too late to summon an angry sea deity and sink this place?” Acheron gave him a cocky grin. “I can think of a vicious goddess of destruction who would love to help you out in that department. Especially since she’s not overly fond of him. However, there is one serious downside to releasing her.” Will cocked his head. “That is?” “End of the world,” the captain answered. “Hence the whole ‘goddess of destruction’ moniker, lad. Goes with the territory.” “Mmm,” Acheron concurred. “Much like Sallie’s soul, once she comes out of her container, she’s a little hard to put back in it.” “Aye, but the last time she came out, she sank Atlantis.” Thorn glanced about the island. “This is considerably smaller than that. I’m thinking . . .” A bolt of lightning flew at his head. Thorn deflected it. “You missed me, Savitar.” A coconut hit him in the back so hard that it left him facedown in the sand. “No, I didn’t.” The disembodied voice was plain and clearly Savitar’s. “I seriously hate you, Chthonian.”