Now or Never: Wizards of Nevermore Read online

  Praise for Michele Bardsley’s

  Wizards of Nevermore Series

  Never Again

  “Excellent world building, original concepts, and a compellingly dark atmosphere.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “The consistently excellent Bardsley introduces a new world with the launch of her Wizards of Nevermore series.…The opening salvo in this edgy and sexy series provides more evidence of Bardsley’s supreme storytelling chops! Great stuff!”

  —Romantic Times (top pick)

  “Don’t miss out on this dark, vibrant, and sexy new world.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “The world of the Wizards of Nevermore is refreshingly new and fully developed yet interwoven inside the fast-paced story line.”

  —Alternative Worlds

  “Combines all the suspense and excitement of a magical tale with the sensual allure of a sweet and passionate love story. I hope there’s a sequel in the works because I can’t wait to visit the good folks of Nevermore again.”

  —Jeanne C. Stein, national bestselling author of the Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles

  “High-octane urban fantasy at its sexiest. Michele Bardsley is the master!”

  —Mario Acevedo, author of Werewolf Smackdown

  “Darkly superb, sinfully sexy—Never Again should be read over and over again!”

  —Dakota Cassidy, national bestselling author of the Accidental series

  “Bardsley pulls no punches, opening this new series with a book that’s gritty, sexy, and absolutely captivating. I never wanted Never Again to end.”

  —Nicole Peeler, author of Tempest’s Legacy

  “Grim and whimsical, sexy and sinister, Never Again is a wicked paranormal triumph and a clever twisty homage to Poe with a splash of Lovecraft. I loved it!”

  —Mark Henry, author of Road Trip of the Living Dead

  “Wow! Never Again is a gripping addition to the paranormal genre. I loved this tale of lost characters finding each other in a world of intriguing magical realities and eerie small-town secrets.”

  —Carolyn Crane, author of Double Cross

  “Never Again sizzles when it should but doesn’t skimp on the murder, magic, or intrigue. This one deserves a spot on any romance lover’s bookshelf.”

  —J. F. Lewis, author of Crossed

  Praise for Michele Bardsley’s

  Broken Heart Series

  Come Hell or High Water

  “The sex scenes are molten, the main characters engaging yet deliciously flawed, and the story line keeps you hooked from first page to last.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Bardsley has brought us another amazing story.…Phoebe and Conner’s struggle between their feelings for each other and what they must do is captured by Bardsley’s endless wit and humor.”

  —Night Owl Romance

  “Bardsley is a true gift to the literary world.…It takes little more than a page or two to suck the reader back in and remind them why Broken Heart is one of their favorite places to visit.”

  —Bitten by Books

  Over My Dead Body

  “The latest chapter in Bardsley’s delightfully humorous series launches the action quickly and adds more danger to the mix.”

  —Romantic Times (4½ stars)

  “A great paranormal romance that I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy a fast-paced story that will leave them guessing until the end.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “[Bardsley’s] writing inspires emotions that will have you sobbing and then laughing hysterically with just the turn of a few pages.”

  —Bitten by Books

  Wait till Your Vampire Gets Home

  “Has action aplenty and a free-spirited, wittily sarcastic heroine who will delight fans.”

  —Booklist

  “Bardsley has one of the most entertaining series on the market. The humor and wackiness keep hitting the sweet spot. Add Bardsley to your auto-buy list!”

  —Romantic Times (top pick, 4½ stars)

  Because Your Vampire Said So

  “Lively, sexy, out of this world—as well as in it—fun! Michele Bardsley’s vampire stories rock!”

  —Carly Phillips

  “Five ribbons! I laughed nonstop from beginning to end.…Michele Bardsley always creates these characters that leave readers feeling like they are our next-door neighbors.”

  —Romance Junkies

  Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire

  “Cutting-edge humor and a raw, seductive hero make Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire a yummylicious treat!”

  —Dakota Cassidy

  “A fabulous combination of vampire lore, parental angst, romance, and mystery. I loved this book!”

  —Jackie Kessler

  “A winning follow-up to I’m the Vampire, That’s Why filled with humor, supernatural romance, and truly evil villains.”

  —Booklist

  I’m the Vampire, That’s Why

  “From the first sentence, Michele grabbed me and didn’t let me go! A vampire mom? PTA meetings? A sulky teenager? Throw in a gorgeous, ridiculously hot hero and you’ve got the paranormal romance of the year. Get this one NOW.”

  —MaryJanice Davidson

  “Hot, hilarious, one helluva ride.…Michele Bardsley weaves a sexily delicious tale spun from the heart.”

  —L. A. Banks

  “A fun, fun read!”

  —Rosemary Laurey

  “Michele Bardsley has penned the funniest, quirkiest, coolest vampire tale you’ll ever read. It’s hot and funny and sad and wonderful, the kind of story you can’t put down and won’t forget. Definitely one for the keeper shelf.”

  —Kate Douglas

  ALSO BY MICHELE BARDSLEY

  THE WIZARDS OF NEVERMORE SERIES

  Never Again

  THE BROKEN HEART SERIES

  Must Love Lycans

  Cross Your Heart

  Come Hell or High Water

  Over My Dead Body

  Because Your Vampire Said So

  Wait till Your Vampire Gets Home

  Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire

  I’m the Vampire, That’s Why

  NOW OR NEVER

  Wizards of Nevermore

  Michele Bardsley

  A SIGNET ECLIPSE BOOK

  SIGNET ECLIPSE

  Published by New American Library, a division of

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,

  New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,

  Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

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  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:

  80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  First published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  First Printing, March 2012

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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  Copyright © Michele Bardsley, 2012

  All rights reserved

  ISBN: 978-1-101-57702-8

  SIGNET ECLIPSE and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  Printed in the United States of America

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

  If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  For Steve…

  Du fyller mitt hjerte med glede.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I adore my agent, Stephanie Kip Rostan, her assistant, Monika Verma, and all the wonderful folks at the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. I luvs you all!

  Chocolate-covered, gold-embossed gratitude goes to my wonderful editor, Kerry Donovan, to the very groovy Jesse Feldman, who rules the world and all who live in it, and, of course, to Extreme Team NAL.

  Heartfelt thanks to my awesome Viking, Steve Freeman, for helping me brainstorm several key elements in this novel (including the cursed gun and the absinthe bar). He’s also the reason I know about Lagavulin scotch. You are my real-life romance hero. I love you!

  Big smoochy-woochy lurve to my babies, Kati, Reid, and Emma, and to my grandson, Keegan. You all make my world a happier place.

  I have mucho adoration for Renee George and Dakota Cassidy, who are brilliant, kind, loving, ass-kicking, hilarious women. Mwah!

  Qwill, aka Second Supreme Overlord, could probably take over a small country if she weren’t so busy running my little corner of the Internetz. You’re awesome, Q!

  Special thanks to Kaz, who is a spectacular friend, great listener, tequila connoisseur, and freaking genius.

  Big awesome hugs, thanks, and luuuuurve to the Book Addicts: Cid, Suzan, Linda, and I-live-in-Japan Alice. Y’all rock!

  Smooches to Wendy Bocock and Amanda Fenley, who held my hand (and by “held my hand” I mean “badgered me relentlessly”) about finishing this book.

  I also want to acknowledge my adoration for the Jennifers (Wendy, Amanda, Mindy, and Stephanie), who were named as such because I could never remember who the hell they were. But I do now! Really!

  To my Minions and to all my fans everywhere—you rock! Your continued support and enthusiasm for my books mean the world. Thank you!

  Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

  And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

  Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

  From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore

  For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore

  Nameless here for evermore.

  —From “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe

  Table of Contant

  Origins of the Magicals and the Mundanes

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Origins of the Magicals and the Mundanes

  Once, all humans could touch magic.

  Then the world fell into terror and ruin. Magic became a weapon of cruelty, of war.

  The heart of the Goddess broke.

  It was She who severed the link between humans and magic. But the world did not become a better place. Humans born without the innate ability to connect to the sacred energies were even more susceptible to the Dark One’s influence.

  The Goddess decided to return magic through the bloodlines of six champions, pure in heart and in spirit. To keep the balance, She gave each a specific element to use and to protect. So that they would remember their responsibilities to the earth and its creatures, She asked them to choose a symbol.

  Jaed, keeper of fire, chose dragon; Olin, keeper of air, picked hawk; Kry, keeper of water, took shark; Leta, keeper of earth, asked for wolf; Drun, keeper of life, wanted sun; and Ekro, keeper of death, chose raven.

  The Goddess imbued each symbol with the essence of the living things that represented Her Chosen. These emblems were etched into the very flesh of the champions, that they might remember their purpose—to protect life and keep the balance.

  Only their progeny could access the sacred energies, and they became known as magicals. Those who had no elemental connections became known as mundanes.

  As time passed, the purity of the Chosen’s lines was weakened, compromised, changed. Powers intermixed, and the line of Drun appeared to die out completely. However, every so often, a magical would be born with the ability to control life, and these rare beings became known as thaumaturges. And their opposites also existed, rarer beings still, known as thanaturges—magicals who could manipulate death, in all its forms.

  Two thousand years ago, the Romans created five Houses: House of Dragons, House of Hawks, House of Wolves, House of Sharks, and House of Ravens. They also created the first Grand Court, made up of representatives from the Houses, to govern all magicals. The original building in Rome is still used today. (Not long after the American Revolution, a second Grand Court was established in Washington, D.C.) Children who showed strong connections with a particular element aligned with the appropriate House and were trained by masters in the magical arts. As a sign of loyalty to both their heritage and their House, all members were tattooed with the symbols chosen by their ancestors—a tradition still strongly adhered to.

  Though governed separately, most magicals and mundanes live side by side all over the world. Some choose to live within communities created to serve only their own kind, and others align with a particular House to gain their protections.

  Whether magical or mundane, there is one truth that binds all: It is the heart of human struggle to seek balance between the darkness and the light.

  Prologue

  Twenty-five years ago…

  Somewhere in Washington, D.C.…

  Millicent Dover loved children.

  She would never, ever be able to have any of her own, so she funneled all that motherly tenderness to her charges at the Raven’s Heart orphanage.

  Raven’s Heart was a repository for those darlings who were too different to succeed in their mundane families. Should an infant begin to show signs of magical heritage or be born with hex marks or, in some sad cases, otherworldly extremities—tails being the most common—the parents could drop off their newborns, or any child up to the age of four, to Raven’s Heart.

  No questions asked.

  A death certificate would be issued, and if necessary, a c
oroner’s report.

  And the poor dears would be left in Millicent’s care.

  Since the House of Ravens funded the orphanage, their members received priority access to the young magicals. Even so, she worked very hard to place the children in good homes, and she worked even harder to make sure the children were well mannered, strong in mind and in body, and above all, obedient.

  Millicent didn’t tolerate sass.

  If the children at Raven’s Heart had not been adopted by the age of five, they were sent to workhouses in Mexico or gifted to European businesses that catered to a…well, particular clientele.

  And then there were Millicent’s angels.

  Like the adorable cherub who held her hand so tightly now.

  She was such a good girl—smart, pretty, duteous. There was just something about her. She had a…sparkle. Millicent loved her angels the best, she really did, but it seemed as though Lenore had more to offer this world.

  Well, thought Millicent, perhaps that shine would serve her well on the other side. Yes. Sweet little Lenore would be the brightest of all the angels.

  Millicent opened the door to the special room. Only her angels were allowed to see it. It was all pink and ruffles and lace. Cheerful. Like walking into a pile of cotton candy.

  In the corner sat a white chaise lounge, the perfect spot for an angel’s repose. They always looked peaceful as they lay down to rest. It was a point of pride for her that they never suffered. She photographed their final moments and put those pictures into the scrapbooks she kept. Sometimes she would take her dinner breaks in this room and remember all the children she had loved, and who had loved her.

  “It’s very pretty in here, Miss Millicent.”

  “Thank you, dear.” She patted the girl’s bouncy black curls. “Go sit in the chair. We’ll have cookies and tea. And while you enjoy your treats, I’ll read you a story.”

  The tea service was already set up; so was the plate arrangement of paper-thin cookies.

  Lenore took her seat and waited for Millicent to take hers.

  “One lump of sugar, or two?” asked Millicent as she picked up the teapot.