The Master
Authors: Melanie Jackson
THE WILDSIDE SERIES
“Innovative and erotic!”
âNew York Times
bestselling author Christine Feehan
“An alternative universe that can match Laurell K. Hamilton's.”
âEverything Romantic
“An excellent combination of fantasy and romance!”
âRomantic Times
“Sizzling romance and ghoulish thrills at a breathtaking clip!”
âPublishers 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.”
âBooklist
“Once again, Jackson uses her truly awe-inspiring imagination to tell a story that's fascinating from beginning to end.”
âRomantic Times
STILL LIFE
“The latest walk on the âWildside' is a wonderful romantic fantasy that adds new elements that brilliantly fit and enhance the existing Jackson mythos. . . . Action-packed.”
âThe Midwest Book Review
THE COURIER
“The author's imagination and untouchable world-building continue to shine. . . . [An] outstanding and involved novel.”
âRomantic 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.”
âWritersWrite.com
TRAVELER
“Jackson often pushes the boundaries of paranormal romance, and this, the first of her Wildside series, is no exception.”
âBooklist
THE
SELKIE
“Part fantasy, part dream and wholly bewitching,
The
Selkie
. . . [blends] whimsy and folklore into a sensual tale of love and magic.”
âRomantic Times
DOMINION
“An unusual romance for those with a yen for something different.”
âRomantic Times
NIGHT
VISITOR
“I recommend this as a very strong romance, with time travel, history and magic.”
âAll About Romance
AMARANTHA
“Intriguing . . . Ms. Jackson's descriptions of the Cornish countryside were downright seductive.”
âThe Romance Reader
MANON
“Melanie Jackson paints a well-defined picture of 18thcentury England. . . . Manon is an intriguing and pleasant tale.”
âRomantic Times
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“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 Franceâthey 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 usâthat 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 mallâaway from his aura. It was like I had breathed in his poison, his hateâand 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 differentâbeautiful, but not humanâhe 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.”
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Other books by Melanie Jackson:
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DIVINE FIRE
STILL LIFE
THE COURIER
OUTSIDERS
TRAVELER
THE SELKIE
DOMINION
BELLE
AMARANTHA
NIGHT VISITOR
MANON
IONA
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JACKSON
THE MASTER
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In loving memory of my cousin, Linda Southwick.
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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
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37 BCâMabigon becomes Queen of the Unseelie Court after killing her mother.
39 BCâKing Finvarra assumes throne of the Seelie Court after his father is assassinated.
10 BCâAbrial is born.
14 ADâAbrial becomes executioner for the Unseelie Court.
212 ADâThe Fey retreat underground begins.
1367 ADâGomfibel, Dragon Slayer, becomes the first goblin king of all European hives.
1692 ADâQasim is created.
1710 ADâQasim finds Wren.
1713 ADâWren is murdered by Gofimbel.
1778-1792 ADâAt the death of Gofimbel, the Goblin Wars resume.
1793 ADâThe human Expulsion of goblins from Europe begins.
1805 ADâQasim, the hobgoblin leader and master, is imprisoned by Mabigon. Nyssa is born.
1806 ADâThe other hobgoblins are imprisoned or executed and replaced by trolls.
1973 ADâHumans Under Ground is formed.
1991 ADâThe Great Drought kills off all pure-blooded fey, including Queen Mabigon and King Finvarra.
2001 ADâJack and Io cripple Detroit hive and reopen fey stronghold of Cadalach.
2002 ADâThomas and Cyra destroy the Sin City hive, along with all of Las Vegas.
2003 ADâRoman and Lyris kill the goblin and master-vampire, King Quede of New Orleans.
2004 ADâLilith and Fornix are destroyed by Abrial and Nyssa, but Qasim escapes.
2005 ADâNicholas Anthony and Zee Finvarra join the fey resistance.
2006 ADâKris Kringle is found.
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From
Traveler
:
Io Cyphreâhalf-siren
Jack Frostâdeath fey, and leader of the faerie folk of Cadalach
MathiasâJack and Io's two-year-old son
Zaynâa healer, former member of Humans Under Ground
Chloeâsister to the leader of the Detroit chapter of H.U.G., mother of a half-troll child
ClarissaâChloe's half-troll daughter
Horrobanâlate goblin king of Detroit Hille Bingelsâcurrent leader of the Detroit hive
From
Outsiders:
Cyra Delphinâhalf selkie, half kloka (a powerful elf conjurer)
Thomas Marrowboneâpart jinn, part wizard, part peri, part dragon, all computer hacker
MerielâThomas and Cyra's infant daughter
Lilithâformer hive master of Sin City
From The
Courier:
Roman Hautecoeurâpooka and survivor of attack by vampire-goblin King Quede
Lyris Damselâhalf-sylph
InnisâLyris and Roman's infant son
King Quedeâlate hive master of New Orleans, and master vampire
Father Lobineauâcurrent hive master of New Orleans
From
Still Life
:
Abrialânightdemon, executioner for the Unseelie Court
Nyssa Laszloâdreamwalker, ghost-talker; daughter of hobgoblin leader, Qasim
QasimâNyssa's hobgoblin father; imprisoned leader of the hobgoblins
ByssheâNyssa's mother
FarrarâPied Piper of Hamelin, Abrial's uncle
Ahriman and AzâAbrial's father and aunt
King CarbonâL.A. hive master
Humana VoxâCarbon's second in command
The Master:
WrenâQasim's murdered child-bride
Nicholas AnthonyâER doctor, half-pixie
Zee FinvarraâNick's lover; a goblin/human/fey mix
Hansel and GretelâZee's half-brother and sister
Nicholas's ghostâthe Ghost of Christmas Future
Siennaâdaughter born to Nyssa and Abrial
Other People and Places:
Gofimbelâancient king of goblins
Mabigonâlate queen of the Unseelie Court
Cadalachâhome of the fey
Goblinsâknown as lutins; six-armed, greedy and odoriferous
Trollsâgoblin thugs, stupid, slow, and vicious
Hobgoblinsâsuper-goblins, meaner, faster, bigger, and smellier
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Contents
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HOW MONSTERS ARE MADE
Chapter One
Nice, France, 1713
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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.