Lover Revealed
The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, book 4
J. R. Ward
Dedicated to: You.
Man, you had me at Hard-ass, you really did.
But then there was your Here's looking at you, kid…
Mad love to you.
With immense gratitude to the readers of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and a shout out to the Cellies—what couch are we on now?
Thank you so very much: Karen Solem, Kara Cesare, Claire Zion, Kara Welsh.
Thank you, Cap'n Bunny a.k.a. the Pink Beast and
PythAngie the Pitbull Mod—seriously, Dorine and Angie, you take such good care of me.
Thank you to the Party of Four: MFN hugs…
M-F-N hugs. Don't know what I would do without you.
As always, with thanks to my Executive Committee: Sue Grafton, Dr. Jessica Andersen, Betsey Vaughan. And with much respect to the incomparable Suzanne Brockmann.
With love to my family and my writer friends.
Glossary of Terms and Proper Nouns
ahvenge v. Act of mortal retribution, carried out typically by a male loved one.
Black Dagger Brotherhood pr n. Highly trained vampire warriors who protect their species against the Lessening Society. As a result of selective breeding within the race, Brothers possess immense physical and mental strength as well as rapid healing capabilities. They are not siblings for the most part, and are inducted into the Brotherhood upon nomination by the Brothers. Aggressive, self-reliant, and secretive by nature, they exist apart from civilians, having little contact with members of the other classes except when they need to feed. They are the subjects of legend and the objects of reverence within the vampire world. They may be killed only by the most serious of wounds, e.g., a gunshot or stab to the heart, etc.