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Seven deadly sins. Seven souls that must be saved. One more no-holds- barred battle between a fallen angel with a hardened heart and a demon with everything to lose.
Isaac Rothe is a black ops soldier with a dark past and a grim future. The target of an assassin, he finds himself behind bars, his fate in the hands of his gorgeous public defender Grier Childe. His hot attraction to her can only lead to trouble-and that's before Jim Heron tells him his soul is in danger. Caught up in a wicked game with the demon who shadows Jim, Isaac must decide whether the soldier in him can believe that true love is the ultimate weapon against evil.
The second volume in J.R. Ward's Fallen Angels paranormal romance series pits a worldly wise covert ops soldier against an assassin, a demon, and his own conscience. Isaac Rothe has a bad boy past, but he knows that he's fallen mightily for his luscious public defender. Who knew that a battle for a soul could be so alluring? A mass-market original.
J.R. Ward is the author of over twenty previous novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward's novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world. She lives in the South with her family.
Prologue
The Desert, Far from Caldwell, N.Y. or Boston, M.A. or... sanity.
Some two years after the fact, when Jim Heron was no longer in special ops, he would reflect that Isaac Rothe, Matthias the Fucker and he, himself, had all changed their lives the night that bomb went off in the sand.
Of course, at the time, none of them knew what it all meant, or where it was all going. But that was life: nobody got a guided tour to their own theme park. You had to get on the rides as they presented themselves, never knowing whether you would like the one you were in line for... or if the bastard was going to make you throw up your corn dog and your cotton candy all over the place.
Maybe that was a good thing, though. Like back then he would have believed he’d end up duking it out with a demon, trying to save the world from damnation?
Come on now.
But that night, in the dry cold that washed in the second the sun went down over the dunes, he and his boss had walked into a minefield... and only one had walked out.
The other? Not so much...
“This is it,” Matthias said as they came up to an abandoned village.
They were fifteen miles northwest from where they were staying in a barracks of Army boys. Being in XOps, they were outside the stream of defined corps which worked to their benefit: soldiers like him carried I.D.s from all branches of the service and used them whenever it suited.
The “village” was more like four crumbling stone structures and bunch of wood and tarp huts. As they approached, his green night vision goggles tracked movement all over the place. He hated those fucking tarps- they flapped in the wind, their shadows darting around like fast-footed people who had guns. And grenades. And other varieties of sharp and shiny.
Or in this case grungy and gritty.
He hated desert assignments; better to kill in civilization. More exposure, true- but at least you had a shot at knowing what was coming at you. Out here, people had resources he was unfamiliar with and that always made him twitchy as fuck.
‘Course, no one wanted to get their balls blown off. So most people felt like he did, including the enemy.
Plus he didn’t trust the man he was with. Yeah, Matthias was his boss. Yeah, he’d trained with the guy way back when. Yeah, he’d been under him for the last decade.
But all of that just made him more certain he didn’t want to be alone with the big man- and yet here they were, at a “village” in the fine township of Nowhere-Anyone-Could Find-A-Body-ville.
A gust of wind went Nike across the flat landscape, sprinting over the sand, picking up those tiny little particles, carrying all of them right smack into the collar of his digi-fatigues. And beneath his black, lace-up boots, the ground was constantly shifting, as if he were an ant walking across the back of a giant and irritating the piss out of the bastard.
You began to feel that at any minute, a great palm could come down of the sky and flatten you.
The meeting had been Matthias’s idea. Something that couldn’t be discussed anywhere else. So naturally, Jim had worn a Kevlar vest and about forty pounds of weapons. Along with water. MRE’s.
He was a pack animal for real.
“Over here,” Matthias said, ducking into the door-less entry of one of the stone structures.
Jim paused and looked around. Nothing but tarps doing the running man as far as he knew.
He got out both his guns before going inside. Bottom-line? This was the perfect locale for a forcible inquisition. He had no idea what he’d done or what he’d learn to warrant it, but one thing he was clear on- there was no reason to run. If that was the reason he’d been brought here, he was going to go in and find another two or three XOps guys in there to work him over while Matthias asked the question. If he bolted? They’d just hunt him down in the desert even if took weeks.
Maybe that was why Isaac Rothe had showed up this afternoon with Matthias’s protégé and second in command, Ezekiel. That pair were straight up killers, a couple of bit bulls ready to go for anyone’s throat.
Yup, this made sense and he should have figured it out sooner. But even if he had, there was no getting anyway from a reckoning. No one got out of XOps alive. Not the operatives, not the fringe-playing Intel guys, not the bosses, either. Die with your boots on was the way you lived- not that you knew that going in.
And the thing was, he had been thinking of ways to get out. Killing people for a living was all he knew how to do, but it was starting to fuck with his head. Maybe Matthias had somehow figured that out.
Time to the face the music, Jim thought as he went through the doorway with both his guns up.
Might as well give ’em a fight-
Just Matthias. No one else.
Jim slowly lowered his guns and looked around the cramp space just to make sure. Turned out, it was true: According to his night goggles, there was just the man and no one else. With a flick of a switch, he went to heat seeking mode. Nothing but Matthias. Still.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
Matthias was over in the far corner, about ten feet away. When the man’s hands came up from his sides, Jim flipped his weapons back into firing position... but all his boss did was shake his head and loosen up his gun belt. A quick toss and it was in the sand.
And then he opened his mouth and said something softly—
###################################
Jim came back to consciousness sometime later. The explosion had thrown him against the stone wall, knocking him cold, and going by how stiff he was, he could have been out for a while.
After a couple minutes of what-the-fuck, he sat up cautiously, wondering if anything was broken-
Across the way, there was a pile of rags where Matthias had once been.
“Jesus Christ...” Jim repositioned his night goggles and retrieved his weapons then crawled through the sand to his boss.
“Matthias... oh, fucking A...”
The man’s lower leg looked like a root that had been torn up out of the ground, the limb nothing but a ragged stump that was shredded at the end. And there were patches of darkness on his fatigues that had to be blood.
Jim checked the pulse at the neck. There was one, but it was faint and uneven.
Unbuckling his belt, he cranked the leather around Matthias upper calf and pulled hard, torniqueing the leg. Then he quickly searched for other inj-
Shit. When Matthias had been tossed back, he’d fallen onto a wooden spike. The damn thing went right through him, the toothpick to his pig-in-a-blanket.
Jim pretzeled up and tried to see whether it could stay in place-
It appeared to be free standing. Good.
“...dan... ny... boy...”
Jim frowned and looked at his boss. “What?”
Matthias’s eyes opened like his lids were steel shutters he could barely raise. “Leave me.”
“You’re blown to shit-”
“Leave me here-”
“Fuck that.” Jim reached for his transistor and prayed that Isaac, not that freak Ezekiel, answered. “Come on... come on...”
“What ya’ll needin’?” The soft Southern drawl that came over his earpiece was the only good news he was going run across until he got them both back to camp.
Thank God for Isaac. “Matthias is down. Bomb. Coming in. Look out for us.”
“How bad?”
“Bad.”
“Where ya’ll at? I’ll come and get you.”
“We’re forty-six degrees n-”
The gun went off right next to Jim’s ear and at first he assumed he’d been hit in the head and the pain had yet to register. As he braced himself on one palm, Matthias let his gun fall to the side... and what do you know, Jim did not follow suit thanks to some kind of head wound. Warning shot, evidently.
His boss’s eyes shone with unholy light. “Get yourself... out... alive.”
Before Jim could tell Matthias to shut the fuck up, he became aware that something was biting into his palm. Lifting his hand up, he found... part of the bomb’s detonator.
Turning it over and over, at first he didn’t understand what he was looking at.
And then he knew all too well what it was.
Narrowing his eyes, he focused on Matthias. Then he put the fragment in his front pocket, and leaned down to his boss.
“You’re not playing me like this,” Jim said grimly. “No fucking way.”
Matthias started to babble, but Jim didn’t give a shit what the guy went on about.
“I’m okay,” he said to Isaac’s squawking curses. “Misfire. I’m starting for camp. Make sure we’re not shot as we approach.”
The southerner’s voice became instantly strong and steady, just like the guy’s killing hand. “Where you at. I’ll get a truck-”
“No. Stay put. Find a medic on the QT and make sure the doc can keep his mouth shut. And we’re going to need a chopper. We need to airlift him out- discretely. No one can know about this.”
The last thing he needed was Isaac out in the middle of the night looking for them. The guy was the only thing standing between Jim and an accusation that he’d murdered the head of XOps, the deadliest shadow org in the U.S. government.
He’d never live that one down. Literally.
And the hush-hush was not going to be a newsflash to the solider. Keeping quiet about shit was the M.O. in XOps- no one knew exactly how many operatives there were or where they went or what they did or whether they went by their own name or an alias.
“Do you hear me, Isaac,” he demanded. “Get me what I need. Or he’s a dead man.”
“Roger, that,” came the reply over the ear piece. “Over and out.”
After confiscating the gun that had been put to use, Jim picked up his boss, settled the dead, dripping weight on his shoulders and started hoofing it.
Out of the stone shack. Out into the blustering, frigid night. Across the sand dunes.
His compass kept him right, the true north orientating him and leading him on through the darkness. Without it, he would be utterly lost because the desert looked the same.
Fucking Matthias.
God damn him.
Then again, assuming the guy lived, he’d just given Jim his ticket out of XOps... so in a way, he owed the guy his life.
Guess Jim wasn’t the only one who wanted to be free.
Surprise, surprise.
I am VERY suprised with Crave. Dont get me wrong, i enjoyed the Covet very much, but this book really grabbed me. I am almost finished with the book and i thought i should review it already. The thing that grabbed me most is that there is much more character development than Covet. The first book was more about introducing Jim and his mission. Crave focuses much more on the mission Jim is trying to do.
What i also loved most is that Isaac, from the start, reminded me of Zsadist from the BDB series.
Anyone having second thoughts about picking this book up, forget the doubts and just start reading. You will come to enjoy this series very much!
17 out of 18 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.theReader278
Posted Wed Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2011
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I love all of J.R. Ward books. I bought all of her BDB series and now Im reading Angels series. From the three books, crave is the best.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Ok, I'm a little more than halfway through this and have to say, it's much better than Covet. sort of like suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series meets the BDB. The couple of the story-Isaac and Grier- get more plot and character development than in the last one and there's much less set-up and backstory of the contest and Jim. If you made it through Covet and didn't love it, give the series another try!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Heaven works in mysterious ways as affirmed when recently deceased, acrimonious construction worker and retired assassin Jim Heron became a chosen one responsible to save seven assigned souls that Devina the demon craves. If he wins all seven the evil Devina dies; if he loses just one all hell breaks lose. His first battle with Devina was over Vin diPietro (see Covet).
Soul number two is former black ops agent and brother in arms Isaac Rothe who did the unthinkable when he left Matthias and the XOps; as no one leaves except in a body bag. His arrest in South Boston for participating in an illegal underground fight leaves him behind bars and vulnerable to a XOps assassin. Even scarier is his attraction to his public defender Grier Childe who reciprocates his desire. However, neither Matthias nor the Massachusetts legal system is the major stalker. Devina craves his soul and Jim must find a way to help his former brother in arms triumph over evil of a human and demonic kind.
With a loose connection to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Crave is a terrific second Fallen Angels romantic urban fantasy. The ultra dark story line is action-packed with South Boston looking extremely grim yet the flicker of hope resides inside the hearts of Isaac and Grier. Fans of J.R. Ward will enjoy this super paranormal thriller.
Harriet Klausner
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.OneShirt
Posted Sun Mar 27 00:00:00 EDT 2011
I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood - but this series leaves me unimpressed. I read the first one and wasn't crazy about it. Giving it the benefit of the doubt, I bought this one and wish I hadn't wasted the money. I love the concept, but the execution leaves me cold. The books feel disjointed and the "style" annoyed me incredibly. By the end of first book I found myself not giving a darn about anyone in it and I couldn't finish this one. It just doesn't work for me. Apparently it doesn't work for any of my friends either. Out of the five of us that are first in line to buy Ms. Ward's books, none of us can stand this series. And it's simply a matter of writing style and an inability to connect with the "heroes." This is one of the rare times when I would tell you as a buyer to borrow a copy and read several chapters before you spend your money.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ShellD
Posted Tue Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2010
This book was amazing! J.R ward has a way of drawing you in and relating with the characters. I could not put this book down! All her books are a must read for sure.. plus ya get a sneak peak of Paynes book from the BDB!!! Cannot wait!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Lula1967
Posted Tue Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2011
I have enjoyed the Black Dagger Broterhood series - fun paranormal romance with lots of edgy sex and a good plotline. Crave, from the Fallen Angels series, pales in comparison to the books in her other series. The novel is not well written and some of the dialog is so cheezy that it made me cringe. The characters were not well developed and the sex scenes were not as detailed as in the Black Dagger series. I would not go out of my way to read this.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MarniA
Posted Tue Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2010
I really enjoyed the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and the Fallen Angels are just as interesting! This book has a great deal of twist and turns along with a great surprise ending! An all around enjoyable read!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.sjt5919
Posted Sun Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2010
The first book in the series was a little hard to get into in the beginning, but well worth finishing. This 2nd book is better than the first. It is an excellent read. Can't wait for the next book!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri May 14 00:00:00 EDT 2010
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Please have this available in eBook on the release date. J.R. Ward is the only one I give five stars to. Her books are awesome. Black Dagger Brotherhood series is simply the best.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.cloggiedownunder
Posted Wed Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Crave is the second book in the Fallen Angels series by American author, J.R.Ward. The events in this book take place two days after Covet, and much of the action is in Boston. It is certainly advisable to have read Covet, as much essential knowledge pertaining to this book is covered in that book. Chosen to influence seven souls in the fight of good against evil, former X-Ops soldier, Jim Heron decides his next assignment is to save X-Ops buddy, Isaac Rothe from certain death at the hands of their boss, Matthias. Arrested for cage-fighting, Rothe is assigned public defender, the breathtakingly beautiful Grier Childe. The attraction is immediate, but Rothe knows he is way out of her league, and Grier has her own baggage, some of which even she is unaware. Ward slowly and carefully feeds the reader information about the world she has created for this series. She further develops the main characters and gives the reader an original plot with a great twist at the end. As with the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, the banter between the angels and the archangels is fun. One surprise is that Jim has more weapons than just crystal guns and knives at his disposal. This is another excellent read and fans will look forward to the third book in the series, Envy.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Mon Nov 22 00:00:00 EST 2010
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I have read both books now and was so disappointed in Covet, but being a WARD fan I gave her a second chance with Crave. Crave was a better read but ultimatly not very good to me. I am a paranormal fan and not interested in human romance at all. With this series I think Ms. Ward tries to stradle both and ends up giving us not enough of either.. The last 80 pages or so were good but not worth having to read the book up till then.. I hate to say it but, the best part of the book was reading the chapter from LOVER UNLEASHED... Sadly I won't be buying any more books from this series...
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2010
I have slugged through the first two Fallen Angels Series books often bored and wondering what. has happened to my favorite author. Truely, had I not been a big fan, I wouldn't have read the second book Crave. I probably won't read any other books from this series.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I enjoyed the main characters but I'm still convinced on the overall storyline with Jim. I LOVE the BDB novels, so maybe my expectations for this series are just too high.
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I love this series.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed Oct 09 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Awsome!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Goddess
Posted Tue Sep 03 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Love the Fallen Angels series! I have read all of the Brotherhood books and enjoyed them very much. Some I loved, some I liked and some were just blah. The Fallen Angels series, on the other hand, are different and well written. Love them all. Read the frist three already and not a blah story in the bunch. Looking forward to more books in this series!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Book two is as compelling as book one. looking forward to reading book three. The story line is just as great as the first book. I just can't get enough of the plot.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.brantleyt
Posted Fri Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Loved it!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Fri May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I have enjoyed J.R. Wards writing in her other series, but her "Fallen Angels" series is my favorite. I am on the 4th in the series and am sad that at this point there are no more. Of course, it goes without saying that her books are steamy, but the character development is what you look forward to seeing. You find yourself wondering what will happen to Jim Heron (the savior) and looking forward to finding out.
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Overview
Seven deadly sins. Seven souls that must be saved. One more no-holds- barred battle between a fallen angel with a hardened heart and a demon with everything to lose.
Isaac Rothe is a black ops soldier with a dark past and a grim future. The target of an assassin, he finds himself behind bars, his fate in the hands of his gorgeous public defender Grier Childe. His hot attraction to her can only lead to trouble-and that's before Jim Heron tells him his soul is in danger. Caught up...