We made it! Halfway through another week and it is soo fitting that we are rewarded! Our prize, a new J.R. Ward novella set in her popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I was so excited to see this drop, totally unexpected, I usually don’t have Ward on my radar until the early spring releases begin. Clutch!

When Ahmare’s brother is abducted, there is nothing she won’t do to get him back safely. She is unprepared, however, for the lengths she will have to go to save his life. Paired with a dangerous but enticing prisoner, she embarks on an odyssey into another world.

Duran, betrayed by his father, imprisoned in a dungeon for decades, has survived only because of his thirst for vengeance. He has been biding his time to escape and is shocked to find an unlikely and temporary freedom in the form of a determined young female. Battling against deadly forces and facing unforeseen peril, the pair are in a race to save Ahmare’s brother. As time runs out, and the unthinkable looms, even true love may not be enough to carry them through. 

Mates. MINE

Duran glanced over at her. Her dark head was bent, her fresh blood leaving a trail even as she pressed on, her determination so fierce, he was convinced that she could lift the whole mountain they were under to locate what she was after. He loved her. Probably since the moment she had come into that dungeon. Take out the “probably.” The dark spices that had come out of him upon her arrival in the dungeon should have been his first clue. But whatever the increments had been, now was the realization

Lovers

DURAN HAD NEVER THOUGHT there could be anything more visceral, more consuming . . . more important . . . than revenge. Everything else he had ever experienced had been in the category of discardable distractions, the sights, smells, thoughts, or feelings like pennies spilled from his pockets, nothing valuable enough to make him stop and retrieve what he’d lost or ignored. This, however . . . this consumed him even more than his revenge. Tasting Ahmare, feeling her skin against his, hearing her breath catch and then explode on an exhale, all of it was, for the first time since he had become aware of his father’s cruelty and his mahmen’s suffering, a submersion of sense and sensation so complete that another need took the wheel of his intent and intentions and charted a course he was not going to argue with. Hell, all he wanted to do was stomp on the gas. And now was the moment.

As Ahmare tilted her hips and he felt the first brush of his erection over the hot core of her, he knew there was no going back. Actually, that probably had been true the instant he had sensed her on the far side of the waterfall in his cell. Some things were inevitable. Some leaps were taken before you were aware of going over the edge. Some songs called you too magically. Except now, he fumbled. Everything leading up to this had been so smooth, as if they had done this a million times before even though it was a first for him on all accounts and obviously something fresh to her. But now he poked around, his cock’s head swelling with every misguided almost-there, the half thrusts of his hips the kind of blind navigation that would get him where they needed him to be only by a stroke of luck. Pun intended. Ahmare solved this increasingly urgent problem by reaching between them, just as she had when she’d undone both of their pants. He gasped as her hand touched him, the bolt of electricity so great he saw stars and thought with horror that he’d orgasmed.

But no. When the shock cleared, he was still hard and he hadn’t left a mess all over her—His body knew what do to. As soon as she made the connection, something took over, his hips thrusting forward and driving him deep into her hold. Dimly, he was aware of a streak across his shoulders, her nails biting into him as she kicked her head back and arched up into his torso with a moan. Taking the back of her head in the palm of his hand so he didn’t knock her out, he meant to go slow—and did nothing of the sort. Pistoning against the cradle of her hips, he pounded into her, his lips peeling off his descended fangs, the need to bite her a not-right-now for two reasons: One, he hadn’t asked, and she hadn’t offered, but also because he’d have to slow down, maybe stop. And that was impossible.

Prisoner is available now, now! It is a sexy, fun read with an unexpected sadness that gave the story depth as opposed to heaviness. I really enjoyed it and I’m glad because I still (STILL!! *SHAKES FISTS*) haven’t forgiven Ward for how Assail was ruined for me! Ugh! Everything I loved and knew about him was hijacked and what I was left with- *glares.*

This novella stands alone and is entirely self contained. I definitely recommend it.