{"product_id":"dark-carousel-isbn-9780515156126","title":"Dark Carousel","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn this intoxicating Carpathian novel from #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Christine Feehan, a woman falls prey to the seductive allure of the past—and a vampire warrior’s intoxicating embrace…\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The moment Charlotte Vintage walks into his club, Tariq Asenguard’s blood is set on fire. The ancient Carpathian had given up hope of finding his lifemate, but now he will do anything to make Charlotte his own. What Tariq doesn’t know is that Charlotte is using herself and her best friend as bait—to try to draw out the bloodthirsty killers who have already murdered Charlotte’s brother and mentor. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Charlotte is familiar with Tariq. Not only is he one of the richest and most eligible bachelors in the city, but he’s also a renowned collector of old carousel horses, which Charlotte restores. Their shared passion opens Charlotte up to trusting him with her life and with the desire she can no longer control. But it also makes her vulnerable to a centuries-old curse that will unite her and Tariq in a war against the enemies of humans and Carpathians alike…\u003cb\u003ePraise for Christine Feehan and her Carpathian novels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The queen of paranormal romance! The one who started it all! The erotic, gripping series that has defined an entire genre. I love everything she does.”—J. R. Ward, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“After Bram Stoker, Anne Rice and Joss Whedon (who created the venerated \u003ci\u003eBuffy the Vampire Slayer\u003c\/i\u003e), Christine Feehan is the person most credited with popularizing the neck gripper.”—\u003ci\u003eTime\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Feehan has a knack for bringing vampiric Carpathians to vivid, virile life in her Dark Carpathian novels.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Red-hot romance and great storytelling...a treat you can’t refuse...Thrill-a-minute fantasy with complex characters and a story that captivates from beginning to end.”—Fresh Fiction\u003cb\u003eChristine Feehan\u003c\/b\u003e is the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Shadow Riders series, and the Sea Haven novels, including the Drake Sisters series and the Sisters of the Heart series.1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte Vintage pushed the stray tendrils of dark auburn hair      curling around her face back behind her shoulders and leaned      toward her best friend, Genevieve Marten. Icy fingers of unease      continually crept down her spine. There was no relaxing, not even      with a drink in front of her and the pounding beat of the music      calling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We know they followed us here, Genevieve,\" she whispered behind      her hand. Whispering in the dance club with the music drumming out      a wild rhythm wasn't easy, but she managed. They had accomplished      what they set out to do, but now that they had drawn their three      stalkers out into the open, what were they going to do?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We must have been crazy thinking we could do this, Genevieve.      Because we have no business exposing ourselves to this kind of      danger.\" Mostly, Charlotte didn't think she should have exposed      Genevieve to the danger. At least not when they were together. Not      when they had a three-year-old to consider.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She did a slow perusal of the club, trying to take in every      detail. The Palace was the hottest dance club in the city.      Everyone who was anyone went there. In spite of the fact that it      was four stories tall, every single floor was packed with bodies,      as was the basement underground club. Men tried to catch her eye      continually. She wasn't going to pretend she didn't know Genevieve      was beautiful, or that she wasn't so hard on the eyes, either. The      pair of them together drew attention everywhere they went-which      was a bad thing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're acting like normal women for a change,\" Genevieve said a      little defiantly. \"I'm tired of hiding. We needed to get out of      the house. You needed to get out of the house. You work all the      time. Honestly, Charlie, we're going to grow old hiding away. What      good has it done us? We're not any closer to finding out who is      doing this to us.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can't afford to be bait,\" Charlotte pointed out. \"And I don't      like you being bait, either. Certainly not both of us together      when we have to look after Lourdes. She can't lose everyone in her      life. It goes against everything in me to hide away, but I've got      to consider what would happen to her if I was killed. They already      murdered her father. She has no mother. I'm all she's got.\" When      Genevieve sent her a look, she hastily amended, \"We're all she's      got.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte wasn't the hide-from-an-enemy type any more than      Genevieve was. They'd met in France, both studying art. Genevieve      painted, and she was good. More than good. Already her landscapes      and portraits were beginning to be noticed, sought after by      collectors. Charlotte restored old paintings as well as old      carvings. Her specialty and greatest passion was restoring old      carousels.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Genevieve was French. She was tall, with long, glossy dark hair      and large green eyes. Not just green, but deep forest green.      Startling green. She had the figure of a model and in fact had had      several major agencies try to convince her to sign with them. She      was independently wealthy, having received inheritances from her      parents and both sets of grandparents.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Genevieve's maternal grandmother had raised her. A few months      earlier, that grandmother, her last living relative, had been      brutally murdered. A few weeks later a man Genevieve had been      dating was murdered in the same way. His blood had been drained      from his body, and his throat had been torn out. Charlotte's      mentor, the man she was apprenticing under, was murdered a week      after that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Twice, when they were together, the two women had become aware of      someone trying to enter their house late at night. They'd locked      all the windows and doors, but whoever was after them had been      persistent, rattling the glass, shaking the heavy doors,      terrorizing them. The police had been called. Two officers were      found dead in the courtyard, both with their blood drained and      their throats torn out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte received word a couple of weeks later that her only      sibling, her brother, had been found dead, murdered in the same      way. He was in California. In the United States. Far from France.      Far from her. He left behind his business and his daughter,      three-year-old Lourdes. Lourdes's mother had died in childbirth,      leaving Charlotte's brother to raise her. Now it was up to      Charlotte. Genevieve had decided to come with Charlotte to      California. Whoever was after the two of them was in the States      and Genevieve wanted to find them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Genevieve laid her hand over Charlotte's. \"I know Lourdes is your      first priority. She's mine as well. She's a beautiful little girl      and obviously traumatized by what she saw. Her nightmares wake me      up and I'm not even in the same house.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte knew Genevieve wasn't exaggerating. Genevieve always      knew whenever Lourdes had nightmares, even if she wasn't staying      with them. At those times, she always called to make certain the      child was all right. Lourdes had been present when her father was      murdered. The killer had left the child alive and sitting beside      her slain father. She'd been alone in the house with his body for      several hours before she was found by her nanny, Grace Parducci, a      woman who had gone to school with Charlotte.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The police aren't any closer to solving the murders, Charlie. Not      here and not in France. Lourdes is in danger just as much as we      are. Maybe more.\" Genevieve leaned her chin on the heel of her      hand as she hitched her chair closer to Charlotte's in order to be      heard above the music. \"I've been thinking a lot about this and      how it all got started. What we did to draw some crazy person's      attention.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte nodded. She'd been thinking about it as well. What else      could she think about? Both of them had lost every family member      with the exception of little Lourdes. Charlotte didn't want to      lose her, and lately, in spite of taking every precaution, she      hadn't felt safe. At. All. Grace had reported being followed and      feeling as though someone was watching her as well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte knew there was a part of her that had come with      Genevieve to the nightclub in an effort to try to draw the      murderer out. She'd certainly come prepared. She had weapons on      her. Several. Most were unconventional, but she had them. She      honestly didn't know if the people stalking them were the same      ones who had murdered her brother, but it seemed likely.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte wasn't the type of woman to run from her enemies and it      upset her to think her brother's murderer was going free-that he      or she was trying to terrorize them. Not trying-she was terrified      for Lourdes. She had no idea why the little girl had been left      alive, but she wasn't taking any chances with her. Coming to the      nightclub without her was a chance to draw the killer out without      endangering her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That stupid psychic center we went to together for testing,\"      Charlotte murmured. \"It gave me the creeps.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Genevieve nodded. \"Exactly. The Morrison Center. We went for a      lark, but it wasn't the least bit fun. They got interested in us      way too fast and kept asking very personal questions. When we      left, I thought we were followed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte had thought so as well. The testing site had been a      little hole-in-the-wall, but in a high-traffic area, so neither      had thought anything of it. They both often said they were      psychic, and thought it would be so much fun to go in and test it,      just like having their palms read. Something fun to do. It hadn't      turned out to be very fun.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte looked into Genevieve's green eyes and saw the same pain      she was feeling reflected there. Who knew that something they'd      done on a whim would have such horrific consequences? It was like      that with them. They both thought along the same lines, knew what      the other was thinking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ever since going there, I feel like we're being watched,\"      Genevieve said. \"And not in a good way. When we were still in      France, before Grand-mre was murdered, a couple of men asked me      out and I got this really creepy vibe from them. When they talked      I just kept having the image of the testing center crop up in my      mind and I couldn't help associating them with it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte nodded her understanding. The same thing had happened to      her more than once. And then the murders happened. Since then,      they'd been much more careful. No dates. No fun. No strangers in      their lives. Charlotte ran her brother's cabinetmaking business,      and she did a little art restoration on the side, but she hadn't      really been working at her own business for months. Not since      she'd returned to the United States.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What are we going to do, Charlie?\" Genevieve asked. \"I can't live      like this for much longer. I know I should be grateful I'm alive,      that we're alive, and I don't want to do anything that might      endanger Lourdes, but I feel like I'm suffocating.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte knew how she felt. \"We've taken the first step by coming      here. We weren't all that quiet about it, either, Vi. We've      attracted a lot of attention. Those men, the ones who keep asking      us to dance-they give off that creepy testing vibe to me. What      about you? And do they look familiar to you? I swear I've seen      them before. I think in France.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Genevieve followed Charlotte's gaze to the three men who had      continuously asked them to dance and sent drinks to their table.      They'd winked and flirted and stayed close all night. They were      good dancers; they'd asked other women and Charlotte had watched      them. All three men knew what they were doing on the dance floor.      All three were exceptionally good-looking. They seemed like men      who frequented the dance club and picked up their share of women      there. Still, there was something off about them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Same here. The one named Vince, Vince Tidwell, touches me with      one finger every time he gets close enough. He just runs it over      my skin. Instead of giving me any kind of cool shiver, it gives me      the creeps, and the image of the testing center is right there in      my mind. I keep telling myself we tested in France, so would they      really follow us here? But I'm fairly certain they did.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"So maybe we should leave and then wait for them outside and try      to follow them,\" Charlotte suggested. \"Lourdes is safe for      tonight. I've called half a dozen times, and Grace assures me all      is quiet on the home front. We could track them tonight and find      out where they're staying and who they really are. Maybe we'll      find out what they want from us.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Genevieve's vivid green eyes lit up. \"Absolutely. I need to do      something to make me feel like I'm not sitting on my hands, just      waiting for someone to murder me. I have to do something positive      to help myself.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte nodded. She knew better. She had Lourdes.      Responsibilities. One huge responsibility. She'd always been      adventuresome. She pursued her dreams with wide-open arms, rushing      headlong where others were afraid to go. She hadn't stayed home      with her brother. She worked hard from the time she was very young      so she could finance her trip to France, where she'd always wanted      to go. She learned French early and worked hard at it until she      could speak like a native. She'd left behind her brother and come      back only to help him when his wife died. And then she'd left      again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Selfish,\" she murmured aloud. \"I've always been selfish, doing      the things I wanted to do. I want to go after them, too, Vi. I      swear I do.\" She had to put her mouth close to Genevieve's ear to      be heard over the music. She wasn't the type of woman to hide in a      house with the covers over her head, but what was the right thing      to do? She honestly didn't know.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Lourdes would be a lot safer if we figured this out, Charlie,\"      Genevieve pointed out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She wasn't saying anything Charlotte hadn't already told herself,      but Charlotte still didn't know if she herself was making excuses      to jump into action because she wanted to justify taking the fight      and shoving it right down the throat of their enemy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte made up her mind. She couldn't just keep hiding. It      wasn't in her character and Genevieve was so right-Lourdes needed      to settle into a normal life. They couldn't keep moving and trying      to cover their tracks. \"Let's do it, then, Vi. We can follow them      and see if we can find out what they're up to. You can't look like      you, though. You draw way too much attention.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte risked another quick glance at the three men. The one      named Daniel Forester appeared to be the leader. His two friends      definitely deferred to him. He was tall and good-looking and he      knew it. He was staring at her even as he danced with another      woman. The woman looked up at him with absolute worship, and he      was ignoring her to stare at Charlie.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She raised an eyebrow at him to let him know she thought he was      being rude. He grinned at her as if they shared a secret. \"He is      an arrogant prick,\" she hissed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"So are his friends. Players. All three of them,\" Genevieve said.      \"They know they look good and they use their appearances to pick      up women.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte couldn't help it; she laughed softly, breaking the stare      with Daniel to regard her best friend. Genevieve was in full      makeup and looked like a runway model. \"Seriously? We're really      getting bad here, Vi. We both know we look good and we came here      hoping for a little fun.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I don't know what you're talking about, Charlie,\" Genevieve      protested haughtily. \"I look like this all the time. Waking up, I      look like this.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte blew her a kiss. \"Truthfully, you do look like that when      you wake up. It makes me sick.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Uh-oh, here they come. They're bringing drinks. Vince and his      friend Bruce at your nine o'clock. They're carrying one for their      friend Daniel as well.\" Genevieve lowered her voice until      Charlotte could barely make out what she was saying over the      music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Both women plastered on smiles as the two men toed chairs around      and sat at their table without asking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I know you must have missed us,\" Bruce Van Hues said. \"So we came      bearing gifts.\" He put the drinks down in front of them, flashing      them smiles as if that would convince them he was merely joking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Pined away,\" Charlotte said. \"Could hardly breathe without you.\"","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304882589925,"sku":"NP9780515156126","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780515156126.jpg?v=1767724497","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/dark-carousel-isbn-9780515156126","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}