Not Quite Dead (A NightHunter Novel)

Not Quite Dead

ISBN 10: 1940968046

ISBN 13: 9781940968049

Copyright © 2014 by Stephanie Rowe.

Cover design ©2014 by Peter Davis. Cover design, book layout, and epub creation by Peter Davis. Cover photos courtesy of iStockphoto.com.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form or by any means or for any use, including recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the author and/or the artist. The only exception is short excerpts or the cover image in reviews.

Please be a leading force in respecting the right of authors and artists to protect their work. This is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel or on the cover are either products of the author’s or artist’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or the artist.

For further information, please contact
[email protected]

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Praise for Not Quite Dead

"[Rowe] has penned a winner with
Not Quite Dead
, the first novel in her new NightHunter vampire series...an action-packed, sensual, paranormal romance that will captivate readers from the outset...Brimming with vampires, danger, resurrection, Louisiana bayou, humor, surprising plot twists, fantasy, romance and love, this story is a must-read!"
~Romance Junkies:

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Praise for Darkness Possessed

"A story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and characters you won't soon forget!" - Paige Tyler,
USA Today
Bestselling Author of the X-OPS Series

"Stephanie Rowe has really outdone herself!
Darkness Possessed
is the perfect paranormal. Sexy, dark, and with enough twists to keep you glued to your seat with breathless anticipation. Zach and Rhiannon set the pages of this book on fire!"
~Kerrigan Byrne, International Bestselling Author

"
Darkness Possessed
…is an action-packed, adrenaline pumping paranormal romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat… Suspense, danger, evil, life threatening situations, magic, hunky Calydons, humor, fantasy, mystery, scorching sensuality, romance, and love – what more could you ask for in a story? Readers – take my advice – do not miss this dark, sexy tale!"
~Romance Junkies

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Praise for Darkness Unleashed

"Once more, award winning author Stephanie Rowe pens a winner with
Darkness Unleashed,
the seventh book in her amazing Order Of The Blade series…[an] action-packed, sensual story that will keep you perched on the edge of your seat, eagerly turning pages to discover the outcome…one of the best paranormal books I have read this year."
~Dottie, Romancejunkies.com

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Praise for Forever in Darkness

“Stephanie Rowe has done it again. The Order Of The Blade series is one of the best urban fantasy/paranormal series I have read. Ian's story held me riveted from page one. It is sure to delight all her fans. Keep them coming!”
~ Alexx Mom Cat's Gateway Book Blog

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Praise for Darkness Awakened

“A fast-paced plot with strong characters, blazing sexual tension and sprinkled with witty banter,
Darkness Awakened
sucked me in and kept me hooked until the very last page.” ~
Literary Escapism

“Rarely do I find a book that so captivates my attention, that makes me laugh out loud, and cry when things look bad. And the sex, wow! It took my breath away... The pace kept me on the edge of my seat, and turning the pages. I did not want to put this book down...
[Darkness Awakened]
is a must read.” ~
D. Alexx Miller, Alexx Mom Cat’s Gateway Book Blog

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Praise for Darkness Seduced

“[D]ark, edgy, sexy … sizzles on the page…sex with soul shattering connections that leave the reader a little breathless!...
Darkness Seduced
delivers tight plot lines, well written, witty and lyrical - Rowe lays down some seriously dark and sexy tracks. There is no doubt that this series will have a cult following. ” ~
Guilty Indulgence Book Club

“I was absolutely enthralled by this book…heart stopping action fueled by dangerous passions and hunky, primal men…If you’re looking for a book that will grab hold of you and not let go until it has been totally devoured, look no further than
Darkness Seduced.”~When Pen Met Paper Reviews

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Praise for Darkness Surrendered

“Book three of the Order of the Blades series is…superbly original and excellent, yet the passion, struggle and the depth of emotion that Ana and Elijah face is so brutal, yet is also pretty awe inspiring. I was swept away by Stephanie’s depth of character detail and emotion. I absolutely loved the roller-coaster that Stephanie, Ana and Elijah took me on.” ~
Becky Johnson,
Bex ‘n’ Books!

“
Darkness Surrendered
drew me so deeply into the story that I felt Ana and Elijah’s emotions as if they were my own…they completely engulfed me in their story…Ingenious plot turns and edge of your seat suspense…make
Darkness Surrendered
one of the best novels I have read in years.” ~
Tamara Hoffa,
Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

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Praise for Ice

"Ice,
by Stephanie Rowe, is a thrill ride!"
~ Lisa Jackson, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Passion explodes even in the face of spiraling danger as Rowe offers a chilling thrill-ride through a vivid--and unforgiving--Alaskan wilderness."
~ Cheyenne McCray, New York Times bestselling author

"Ice
delivers pulse-pounding chills and hot romance as it races toward its exciting climax!"
~ JoAnn Ross, New York Times bestselling author

"Stephanie Rowe explodes onto the romantic suspense scene with this edgy, sexy and gripping thriller. From the very first page, the suspense is chilling, and there's enough sizzling passion between the two main characters to melt the thickest arctic ice. Get ready for a tense and dangerous adventure."
~ Fresh Fiction

"Stephanie Rowe makes her entry into Romantic Suspense, and what an awesome entry! From the very first pages to the end, heart-stopping danger and passion grab the heart. ... sends shivers down the spine... magnificent... mind-chilling suspense... riveting... A wonderful romance through and through!"
~ Merrimon Book Reviews

"[a] thrilling entry into romantic suspense... Rowe comes through with crackling tension as the killer closes in."
~ Publisher's Weekly

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Praise for Chill

“Chill
is a riveting story of danger, betrayal, intrigue and the healing powers of love…
Chill
has everything a reader needs – death, threats, thefts, attraction and hot, sweet romance.”
~ Jeanne Stone Hunter, My Book Addiction Reviews

“Once again Rowe has delivered a story with adrenalin-inducing action, suspense and a dark edged hero that will melt your heart and send a chill down your spine.”
~ Sharon Stogner, Love Romance Passion

“Chill
packs page turning suspense with tremendous emotional impact. Buy a box of Kleenex before you read
Chill,
because you will definitely need it!
...Chill
had a wonderfully complicated plot, full of twist and turns. “
~ Tamara Hoffa, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

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Praise for No Knight Needed

“No Knight Needed
is m-a-g-i-c-a-l! Hands down, it is one of the best romances I have read. I can’t wait till it comes out and I can tell the world about it.” ~
Sharon Stogner, Love Romance Passion

“
No Knight Needed
is contemporary romance at its best….There was not a moment that I wasn’t completely engrossed in the novel, the story, the characters. I very audibly cheered for them and did not shed just one tear, nope, rather bucket fulls. My heart at times broke for them. The narrative and dialogue surrounding these ‘tender’ moments in particular were so beautifully crafted, poetic even; it was this that had me blubbering. And of course on the flip side of the heart-wrenching events, was the amazing, witty humour….If it’s not obvious by now, then just to be clear, I love this book! I would most definitely and happily reread, which is an absolute first for me in this genre.”
Becky Johnson, Bex ‘N’ Books

“No Knight Needed
is an amazing story of love and life…I literally laughed out loud, cried and cheered....
No Knight Needed
is a must read and must re-read.”
Jeanne Stone-Hunter, My Book Addiction Reviews

Special thanks to my beta readers, who always work incredibly hard under tight deadlines to get my books read. I appreciate so much your willingness to tell me when something doesn't work! I treasure your help, and I couldn't do this without you. Hugs to you all!

There are so many to thank by name, more than I could count, but here are those who I want to call out specially for all they did to help me with this book: Alencia Bates Salters, Kayla Bartley, Alyssa Bird, Jean Bowden, Shell Bryce, Holly Collins, Ashley Cuesta, Kelley Curry, Denise Fluhr, Valerie Glass, Christina Hernandez, Heidi Hoffman, Jeanne Stone Hunter, Rebecca Johnson, Dottie Jones, Janet Juengling-Snell, Deb Julienne, Bridget Koan, Felicia Low, Phyllis Marshall, Suzanne Mayer, Sandi McCoombe, D. Alexx Miller, Jodi Moore, Judi Pflughoeft, Carol Pretorius, Kasey Richardson, Karen Roma, Caryn Santee, Julie Simpson, Summer Steelman, Nicole Telhiard, Regina Thomas, Linda Watson, and Denise Whelan.

And lastly, thank you to Pete Davis at Los Zombios for another fantastic cover, and for all his hard work on the technical side to make this book come to life, and for the most amazing website. Mom, you're the best. It means so much that you believe in me. I love you. Special thanks also to my amazing, beautiful, special daughter, who I love more than words could ever express. You are my world, sweet girl, in all ways. And of course, to my awesome dog, who endured such hardship sleeping next to me in his big armchair while I worked, just so that I would have company. What a dog!

Special thanks to Lynne Griffin and Katrin Schumann at GrubStreet Writers for all their guidance, support, and generosity, and to the all the amazing authors in Launch Lab 2014 for turning the solitary author journey into a band of camaraderie, laughter, support and pure genius: Lori Jenkins Reisenbichler, Ellen Herrick, Lenore Myka, Ann Sussman, Robin McLean, Alice LoCicero, David Marshall Hunt, Mark Day, Nadine Lynn, and Stephanie Kegan.

The ancient burial ground was not where Eric Hunter wanted to find his brother, but not for the obvious reasons. Dead bodies, ancient spirits, and decaying graves were all well and good, but not when his twin brother, Tristan, was around them.

Eric slogged soundlessly through the Louisiana swamp, his hiking boots flooded with murky water that reached his knees. Tendrils of mist were winding through the trees, hovering inches above the surface of the water. The full moon cast an unearthly glow on the mist, illuminating an iridescent silver reflection upon it. The air was thick with the stench of dampness and stale water, laced with the more subtle beauty of nature undisturbed by the intrusion of humans.

A low whine, like that of an animal on the hunt, drifted through the night. Eric went still, straining to hear any indication that the stories of werewolves, vampires, and shape-shifting panthers were about to be proven true, just in time for his fairly immortal, but not entirely indestructible, body to be torn asunder. He could fight the good fight, but he really didn't have time to engage right now. This part of the Louisiana bayou was replete with tales of voodoo, deadly creatures, and magic that took lives with ruthless abandon. He'd seen enough and done enough in his life to know the odds were high that every single whisper of lore was steeped in truth. Hell, if he lived here, stories would soon start to circulate about what he could do and what he was.