From New York Times bestselling author, Rebecca Zanetti, comes three stories in her Dark Protectors-Reese Family series…TEASEDFor almost a century, the Realm’s most deadly assassin, Chalton Reese, has left war and death in the past, turning instead to strategy, reason, and technology. His fingers, still stained with blood, now protect with a keyboard instead of a weapon. Until the vampire king … Until the vampire king sends him on one more mission; to hunt down a human female with the knowledge to destroy the Realm. A woman with eyes like emeralds, a brain to match his own, and a passion that might destroy them both—if the enemy on their heels doesn’t do so first.
Olivia Roberts has foregone relationships with wimpy metro-sexuals in favor of pursuing a good story, bound and determined to uncover the truth, any truth. When her instincts start humming about missing proprietary information, she has no idea her search for a story will lead her to a ripped, sexy, and dangerous male beyond any human man. Setting aside the unbelievable fact that he’s a vampire and she’s his prey, she discovers that trusting him is the only chance they have to survive the danger stalking them both.
TRICKED
Former police psychologist Ronni Alexander had it all before a poison attacked her heart and gave her a death sentence. Now, on her last leg, she has an opportunity to live if she mates a vampire. A real vampire. One night of sex and a good bite, and she’d live forever with no more weaknesses. Well, except for the vampire whose dominance is over the top, and who has no clue how to deal with a modern woman who can take care of herself.
Jared Reese, who has no intention of ever mating for anything other than convenience, agrees to help out his new sister in law by saving her friend’s life with a quick tussle in bed. The plan seems so simple. They’d mate, and he move on with his life and take risks as a modern pirate should. Except after one night with Ronni, one moment of her sighing his name, and he wants more than a mating of convenience. Now all he has to do is convince Ronni she wants the same thing. Good thing he’s up for a good battle.
TANGLED
Ginny O’Toole has spent a lifetime repaying her family’s debt, and she’s finally at the end of her servitude with one last job. Of course, it couldn’t be easy. After stealing the computer files that will free her once and for all, she finds herself on the run from a pissed off vampire who has never fallen for her helpless act. A deadly predator too sexy for his own good. If he doesn’t knock it off, he’s going to see just how powerful she can really be.
Theo Reese had been more than irritated at the beautiful yet helpless witch he’d known a century ago, thinking she was just useless fluff who enjoyed messing with men’s heads. The second he discovers she’s a ruthless thief determined to bring down his family, his blood burns and his interest peaks, sending his true nature into hunting mode. When he finds her, and he will, she’ll understand the real meaning of helpless.
Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.
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In between full length books numbers 7 and 8 in the Dark Protector series, the author released three novellas featuring the Reese brothers. These novellas are as follows and should be read in order to avoid spoilers:
1. Teased – book #7.5 – Chalton Reese’s book;
2. Tricked – book #7.75 – Jared Reese’s book; and
3. Tangled – book #7.8 – Theo Reese’s book.
TEASED – 3.50-3.75 Stars
Chalton was a deadly assassin who became one of the Realm’s best computer geniuses. He doesn’t usually go on missions anymore, but when asked by the King, he had no choice. Olivia is a journalist writing a story about a possible new species who might have a cure for her dying friend Ronni. Chalton’s job is to discover the identity of and locate her source in order to stop the story.
I liked Chalton and remembered him from earlier books. I liked Olivia okay, but I wasn’t a fan of her threatening to tell the world about the vampires and other immortals. I understood her wanting to save her friend, but it painted a picture of a typical journalist using blackmail and lacking a conscious.
Sometimes novellas are great, and a lot can be said in a short number of pages. Sadly, that wasn’t the case for me here. I didn’t feel a strong connection between Chalton and Olivia, and I believe that if the story had been a bit longer, maybe that would not have been the case.
TRICKED – 4 Stars
I liked that Jared was so tough and determined with Ronni. He believed he was only helping to save her life, and never dreamt he would develop feelings for Ronni after mating. Jared was surprised, but decided quickly he wanted to see where things between them could go.
Ronni was a little more stubborn, and incorrectly assumed Jared would disappear after the mating. I liked that she didn’t fight the attraction too hard and it was funny watching her attempt to stand up to the big bad vampire. My problem is that because these stories are so short, their relationship felt more insta-love than it did fall in love. There were a couple of conflicts to deal with. I appreciated that Ronni and Jared pretty much stayed united as a team so there weren’t any unnecessary drama issues between them. The ending was a bit cheesy, but I plan to finish reading this series.
TANGLED – 3 Stars
This is Theo and Ginny’s book and while I liked Theo’s character okay, I wasn’t a fan of Ginny’s character at all. We learned in Tricked that she supposedly broke Jared’s heart years earlier. However once Jared met his mate Ronni, he realized he was young and had never really loved Ginny at all. In Tangled we discover that apparently Ginny and Theo had the hots for each other back then, but she picked Jared because he was the easiest brother to control and manipulate. Theo always saw through her lies and would call her on them. This happened because Ginny was a thief who made an art out of pouting and acting weak around men for attention, and for the purpose of getting things she wanted. So you understand why I just wasn’t feeling the love for this chick. I didn’t care for her in Jared’s book and unfortunately I never developed any feelings for her whatsoever in this book either.
There were also some parts to this story that were a little OTT. If Ginny was smart enough to design part of a bank vault, some kind of gas laser beam, some kind of pollinated PT dust (stuff that ruins cameras apparently) then why wasn’t she able to design and/or make a device that would deactivate the ankle bracelet?
There is a happy ending for all three brothers and their mates at the end, but this was still my least favorite of the entire series so far.
Love this entire series and all the spin offs
All the dark protectors are worth reading.
5 stars
Olivia is a journalist, who has been writing stories about people with an extra chromosome. She is hoping these people can help her best friend, Ronni, who has a bad heart. Chalton is a former assassin, a vampire and is now the computer genius for The Realm. He is sent to find out what Olivia knows and who her source is. But someone else wants her too. He’ll do anything to protect her, even mate her best friend. Awesome story. Love the Reese brothers. Olivia is pretty funny too. Short but sweet. Some hot sex and a little biting. ************ TRICKED Ronni, a former police psychologist and best friends with Olivia, has been poisoned and her heart is failing. Jared is a vampire and former pirate. He lost his mate years ago when she mated with another. Jared volunteers to mate Ronni and heal her heart. Ronni wants to find out who poisoned her and just wants to live. The deeper they dig, the more dangerous it becomes but Jared will do anything to protect Ronni and make her his for eternity. This is sort of continued from TEASED because I had read TEASED a long time ago and started reading this and was totally confused. I went back and reread it first and then TRICKED and it all made sense. Sexy vampire and a woman who knows how to take care of herself. ************* TANGLED Ginny is a witch and a thief. She was involved with Jared years ago but broke his heart. Theo, a vampire, is Jared’s brother and never trusted Ginny. She couldn’t pull the wool over his eyes, he always saw right through her. When she steals something important from them, Theo will not stop until he catches her. But Ginny is in more trouble than Theo thought and he’ll do whatever is necessary to help her.
I loved Benny! A woman who is not what she seems and a man who is as deadly as he looks.
All these 3 brothers were AWESOME!! Each so different but such a good series to read.
clever group of short stories
Loved it
Love it!
You can always count on a Rebecca Zanetti book being entertaining, filled with great characters, that somehow make sense and against all odds have a heart of gold. It is one of the authors I gladly go to when I need a read that I am sure is going to be 5 stars. This compilation yet again lived up to the same standard, with strong, charismatic characters with sizzling love, great friendships and plenty of intrigue.