The Jackal

Ward spins off her long-running Black Dagger universe in this first Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp paranormal romance, a sultry dive into the depths of the glymera’s prison system. Fifty years ago, the glymera, vampire aristocracy, condemned Nyx’s sister Janelle to a top-secret, underground prison for a crime she did not commit, leaving Nyx determined to free her. After she finds the entrance to the prison camp, she quickly gets in over her head while trying to navigate its labyrinthine halls and avoid its brutal guards—until she meets the Jackal, a handsome fighter who’s been imprisoned for over a century. Against his better judgment, the Jackal’s drawn to the quarrelsome, alluring Nyx and agrees to help her. When their plan to find Janelle goes horribly awry, Nyx is trapped underground and forced to fight for her freedom—and freedom for the man she’s grown to love. Though newcomers to the universe may find it difficult to keep up with its many supernatural rules, an extensive glossary helps make sense of things, and the fiery repartee between the couple keeps the pages turning. This spicy new chapter is sure to delight Ward’s longtime fans. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Aug.)