by J.R. Ward
Part of Black Dagger Brotherhood, book 22.5
First published 2024
Apex spent a century in prison camp before becoming an assassin for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. He never believed vampires could truly bond until he met Callum, a wolven who changed everything. Fate tore them apart decades ago, leaving Apex cold and disconnected from the world around him. Callum carries his own scars from a brutal abduction that shattered him completely. He has wandered alone ever since, drifting without purpose or home. Now Callum returns to upstate New York, never expecting to encounter the vampire who still occupies his thoughts. Their reunion comes at a dangerous time. Someone plots to overthrow the Vampire King, threatening the Brotherhood's stronghold in Caldwell. Apex and Callum find themselves pulled into this treasonous conspiracy, forced to work together despite their painful history. Both males have lived as loners, nursing old wounds and avoiding connection. The question becomes whether they can overcome the trauma that separated them or if they will remain trapped in the isolation that has defined their lives for so long.
Genres: romance, fantasy, thriller, paranormal
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Caldwell, New York
Period: Decades Ago
448 pages · Hardcover · Gallery Books
Content warnings: abuse, violence