The Master

THE WILDSIDE SERIES

“Innovative and erotic!”

—New York Times
bestselling author Christine Feehan

“An alternative universe that can match Laurell K. Hamilton's.”

—Everything Romantic

“An excellent combination of fantasy and romance!”

—Romantic Times

“Sizzling romance and ghoulish thrills at a breathtaking clip!”

—Publishers Weekly

DIVINE FIRE

“Jackson pens a sumptuous modern gothic. . . . Fans of solid love stories . . . will enjoy Jackson's tale, which readers will devour in one sitting, then wait hungrily for the next installment.”

—Booklist

“Once again, Jackson uses her truly awe-inspiring imagination to tell a story that's fascinating from beginning to end.”

—Romantic Times

STILL LIFE

“The latest walk on the ‘Wildside' is a wonderful romantic fantasy that adds new elements that brilliantly fit and enhance the existing Jackson mythos. . . . Action-packed.”

—The Midwest Book Review

THE COURIER

“The author's imagination and untouchable world-building continue to shine. . . . [An] outstanding and involved novel.”

—Romantic Times

MORE PRAISE FOR MELANIE JACKSON!

OUTSIDERS

“Melanie Jackson is a talent to watch. She deftly combines romance with fantasy and paranormal elements to create a spellbinding adventure.”

—WritersWrite.com

TRAVELER

“Jackson often pushes the boundaries of paranormal romance, and this, the first of her Wildside series, is no exception.”

—Booklist

THE
SELKIE

“Part fantasy, part dream and wholly bewitching,
The
Selkie
. . . [blends] whimsy and folklore into a sensual tale of love and magic.”

—Romantic Times

DOMINION

“An unusual romance for those with a yen for something different.”

—Romantic Times

NIGHT
VISITOR

“I recommend this as a very strong romance, with time travel, history and magic.”

—All About Romance

AMARANTHA

“Intriguing . . . Ms. Jackson's descriptions of the Cornish countryside were downright seductive.”

—The Romance Reader

MANON

“Melanie Jackson paints a well-defined picture of 18thcentury England. . . . Manon is an intriguing and pleasant tale.”

—Romantic Times

 

 

 

“I don't know why he's doing this, or how he can even
be,
” Zee said. “I don't understand it at all. Hobgoblins are like a myth to us, something to terrify naughty children. The legend says that they were created by the first great goblin king of France—they were then lutins' servants and the king's bodyguards before they trained trolls. But the king had to kill them all because they were too violent and they tried to overthrow him. I thought they were all dead. That's what they taught us—that King Gofimbel and the Dark Faerie Queen executed them all.”

She swallowed, then continued. “But this one isn't dead. And he hates goblins. Humans, too. The rage in him was so terrible that I fainted in the parking lot. The children had to drag me away from the mall—away from his aura. It was like I had breathed in his poison, his hate—and he saw me. Nick, he looked inside and knew who and what I am. He knew about the children, too, and wanted them.”

Nick reached for Zee's hands, folded them in his own and brought them up to his mouth, where he breathed over their chilled flesh. He rubbed her skin lightly, part of him marveling at its texture.

“Don't worry.” He looked into her eyes. They were different—beautiful, but not human—he could see that now. And it didn't matter. “We'll find your Jack Frost and we'll stop this monster. Then I will take you and the children far away to someplace safe where no one bad will ever find you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In loving memory of my cousin, Linda Southwick.

 

 

 

DORCHESTER PUBLISHING

Published by

Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Copyright © 2005 by Melanie Jackson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law. 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.

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

Trade ISBN: 978-1-4285-1698-4
E-book ISBN: 978-1-4285-1697-7

First Dorchester Publishing, Co., Inc. edition: September 2005

The “DP” logo is the property of Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

Printed in the United States of America.

Visit us online at
www.dorchesterpub.com
.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I: How Monsters Are Made

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

II: A Haunted Man

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

III: The Last Stand

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Epilogue

AUTHOR'S NOTE

 

 

 

Nice, France, 1713

 

Wren loved Nice. It wasn't home, but it was not a bad place to hibernate while she waited for her real life to begin. She had at first been frightened to be sent so far away from her family and her lover. But she had grown to like it here, especially in the spring and summer. And because she was living among humans, no one thought it odd that she had only one set of arms. She was accepted.

Every day Wren walked with the other kept women along the beautiful crescent that lined the shore called La Belle Promenade, and with those of the nobility who were brave enough to stroll along with them. She loved watching the courtiers and the would-be courtiers as they conducted their flirtations and arranged their
affaires.