On Midnight Wings

Praise for Adrian Phoenix and The Maker’s Song series

“The Maker’s Song has a raw and complex storyline, incredible world building, and characters with multiple layers. Adrian Phoenix has developed Dante into someone who feels real, with flaws, faults and little quirks. . . . A must-read series for paranormal and urban fantasy fans.”

—
Paranormal Romance Addict

ETCHED IN BONE

“Edgy, fast paced and tantalizingly addictive, this is without a doubt the best novel in this amazingly enjoyable series to date.”

—Black Lagoon Reviews

“There are not enough words to describe how much I love this series, or just how emotional this series truly is. Each book is better than the last.”

—
VampChix

“The intensity starts off with a bang and ends with the same sizzling impact! . . . This is one series that I will never miss a page of.”

—Fresh Fiction

“Darkly haunting and impressively imaginative.”

—Night Owl Reviews

BENEATH THE SKIN

“Adrian Phoenix has done it again! Complex, lyrical, and beautifully written . . . another unique and compulsive page-turner.”

—Jenna Black, acclaimed author of
Dark Descendant

“This violent, wrenching tale is something special.”

—Affaire de Coeur

“Lush, sexy, and thrilling . . . darkly addictive.”

—Jeaniene Frost,
New York Times
bestselling author

“This darkly dramatic tale is one wild ride in a series that only promises to get better.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“Another world comprised of both shimmering beauty and tactile violence. . . . Fusing and melding the worlds of angels, vampires, and mortals into a story where appearances hide greater truths ensures an engrossing and matchless reading experience.”

—Bitten by Books

IN THE BLOOD

“Phoenix trips the dark fantastic in this wild, bloody sequel. . . . She keeps the plot thick and the tension high.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Filled with twisting plots, shadowy government agencies, conspiracies, and betrayals . . . this dark urban fantasy is not only action-packed from beginning to end, but at its core, it is also a story of hope and love.”

—
ParaNormal Romance

“The atmosphere is dark, and treachery abounds, making this story white-knuckle reading in the extreme.”

—
RT Book Reviews

A RUSH OF WINGS

“Hard-charging action sequences, steamy sex scenes, and a surprising government conspiracy make this debut engrossingly fun.”

—
Entertainment Weekly

“Phoenix’s lively debut has it all. . . . Phoenix alternates romantic homages to gothdom and steamy blood-drinking threesomes with enough terse, fast-paced thriller scenes to satisfy even the most jaded fan.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Phoenix’s gritty and original characters are instantly engaging, and the rapid pace keeps you glued to the pages.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“A thrilling tale of lust and murder that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.”

—
Gothic Beauty

“A complex, layered story filled with twists and turns . . . a dark, rich treat you won’t soon forget.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

“This one pulled me in from the first page. Heather and Dante are among those rare characters readers so often look for and seldom find.”

—Barb Hendee,
New York Times
bestselling author

“A fast-paced ride, its New Orleans setting appropriately rich and gothic, its characters both real and surprising.”

—Kristine Kathryn Rusch,
New York Times
bestselling author

This one is dedicated to all the members of Club Hell and to each and every one of my fans for their endless patience and support, and to my editor, Adam Wilson, and my agent, Matt Bialer, for the same reasons. I can’t thank you enough. Y’all are truly the best. Hellions RULE!

A
S ALWAYS, TO MY
friends and family. I couldn’t have done it without you.

T
O MAKE THINGS AS
simple as possible, I’ve listed not only words, but phrases used in the story. Please keep in mind that Cajun is different from Parisian French and the French generally spoken in Europe. Different grammatically and even, sometimes, in pronunciation and spelling.

The French that Guy Mauvais uses is traditional French as opposed to Dante’s Cajun.

For the Irish and Welsh words—including the ones I’ve created—pronunciation is provided.

One final thing: Prejean is pronounced PRAY-zhawn.

aingeal
(AIN-gyahl), angel. Fallen/Elohim word.

ami
(m);
amie
(f), friend.
Mon ami
, my friend.

ange, angel; ma p’tite ange
(f), my little angel.

Anhrefncathl
(ann-HREVN-cathl), chaos song; the song of a Maker. Fallen/Elohim word.

apprenti
(s),
apprentis
(pl), apprentices.

assolutamente
(Italian), absolutely.

bastardo
(Italian), bastard.

bâtard
, bastard.

beaucoup
, very, much, many, a great deal.

bien
, well, very.

bon
, good, nice, fine, kind.

bueno
(Spanish), good.

buono
(Italian), good.

ça fait pas rien
, you’re welcome. Also,
pas de quoi
.

ça fini pas
, it never ends.

calon-cyfaill
(KAW-lawn CUHV-aisle), bondmate, heartmate.

catin
(f), doll, dear, sweetheart.

ça va bien
, I’m fine, I’m good, okay.

Cercle de Druide
, Circle of Druids, a sacred and select nightkind order.

c’est bon
, that’s good.

c’est vrai
, that’s true.

Chalkydri
(chal-KOO-dree), winged serpentine demons of Sheol, subservient to the Elohim.

cher
(m);
chère
(f), dear, beloved.
Mon cher
,
ma chère
, my dear or my beloved.

cher ami, mon
(m);
chère amie, ma
(f), my dearest friend, my best friend; intimate, implying a special relationship.

chèri
(m);
chèrie
(f), dearest, darling, honey.

conjurer
, also known as a hoodoo; a practitioner of hoodoo.

Conseil du Sang, le
, the Council of Blood, nightkind lawgivers.

couche-couche
, a dish made with a base of moist corn bread.

creawdwr
(KRAY-OW-dooer), creator; Maker/Unmaker; an extremely rare branch of the Elohim believed to be extinct. Last known
creawdwr
was Yahweh.

creu tân
(kray tahn), Maker’s fire, a
creawdwr
’s power of creation.

cydymaith
(kuh-DUH-mith), companion.

da
(Russian), yes.

d’accord
, okay.

dannazione
(Italian), damn.

Elohim
(s and pl), the Fallen; the beings mythologized as fallen angels.

faites-moi
, make me.

Fallen
,
see
Elohim.

fi’ de garce
, son of a bitch.

filidh
, master Bards/warriors of the
llygaid
.

fils
, son;
mon fils
, my son.

fille de sang
(f), blood-daughter; “turned” female offspring of a vampire.

fils de sang
(m), blood-son; “turned” male offspring of a vampire.

fratello
(Italian), brother.

grazie
(Italian), thank you;
molte grazie
, many thanks.

gris-gris
, magic, spell, charm.

hoodoo
, a system of folk magic; also means a practitioner of that system of magic.

houngan
, an initiated priest in the religion of Vodou.

imposible
(Spanish), impossible.

j’ai faim
, I’m hungry.

jamais
, never.

je connais
, I know.

je sais pas
, I don’t know.

je t’aime
, I love you.

je t’en prie
, I beg you.

je te promets
, I promise you.

je t’entends
, I hear you;
je t’entends, catin
, I hear you, doll.

joli
(m);
jolie
(f), pretty, cute;
mon joli
, my pretty boy.

j’su ici
, I’m here.

j’su sûr
, I’m sure.

llafnau
, the special forces branch of the llygaid.

Llygad
(THLOO-gad) (s), eye; a watcher; keeper of immortal history; story-shaper;
Llygaid
(THLOO-guide) (pl).

loa
, spirits who serve as intermediaries between Bon Dieu and humanity.

ma belle femme
, my beautiful woman, lady. Can mean wife or significant other.

Madre de Dios
(Spanish), Mother of God.

mambo
, an initiated priestess in the religion of Vodou.

ma mère
, my mother.

ma naturalmente
.
Ti prego di perdonarmi
(Italian), but of course. Please forgive me.

marmot
(m), brat.

menteur
(m);
menteuse
(f), liar.

merci
, thank you;
merci beaucoup
, thanks a lot;
merci bien
, thanks very much.

merde
, shit.

mère de sang
(f), blood-mother; female vampire who has turned another and become their “parent.”

mia bella assassina
(f) (Italian), my beautiful assassin.

mi hija
(Spanish), my daughter.

mio amico
(m) (Italian), my friend.

Mon Dieu
, my God.

m’selle
(f), abbreviated spoken form of
mademoiselle
, Miss, young lady.

m’sieu
(m), abbreviated spoken form of
monsieur
, Mr., sir, gentleman.

nephilim
, the offspring resulting from Fallen and mortal unions.

Nightbringer
, a name/title given to Lucien De Noir.

nightkind
(s and pl), vampire; Dante’s term for vampires.

nomad
, name for the pagan, gypsy-style clans who ride across the land.

numèro un
, number one.

oui
, yes.

oui sûr
, Yeah, sure; yeah, right.

padnat
, partner, buddy, chum; close friend.

pardonne-moi
, forgive me.

pas encore
, not yet.

pas ici
, not here.

pas possible
, not possible.