Born of Fury by
Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating:
3 of 5 stars
I would probably give it higher marks except I find it extremely annoying she is writing the books out of chronological order. So in this book some of the adults I read about in previous books are now babies or haven't even been born. Also am confused if Darice and Dare are the same person? because they often refer to Darice as Dare and Sumi and Dancer adopt him. But from the character list on Sherrilyn Kenyon's page they aren't - but how stupid is it to adopt Darice, call him Dare as a nickname and then name their first blood born son Dare. And what do they mean by "blood born"? so I am thinking they are the same person.
Dancer Hauk is obligated to take his nephew Darice to Oksana (mostly uninhabited planet) on his Endurance, Nykyrian is anxious to get his daughter away from the boys that have been sniffing around so he sends Thia (Nyk's daughter) with them. Thia and Darice stumble upon a hurt Sumi and they tell Dancer who brings her back to camp and tends her wounds.
Darice (aka Dare) is giving Dancer a lot of attitude because when Dancer was on his Endurance on Oksana Keris (Dare's Father) fell to his death. A badly injured Dancer carried Keris' body back to the pick up point but Dariana (Dare's Mother) had the body cremated and told everyone it was never found. The 18 year old Dancer was obligated to offer her marriage but she refused him every year for nine years. The year she would have had to accept him or free him she was artificially inseminated with Keris' sperm. Dare was born 10 years after his Father's death, which obligated Dancer to stay pledged to her until Dare reached adulthood. Since he is pledged Dancer will be guilty of adultery if he touches another woman and Dariana can demand his life.
Sumi is a League Assassin whose daughter was taken from her at birth. Kyr sends her to gather information on Dancer so his Mother will disown him. Which will allow Kyr to openly go after Dancer from the famous Hauk Clan. Kyr promised Sumi that he would allow a family to adopt and raise her daughter (Kalea) instead of sending her to the Assassin School if she completes her mission successfully. Sumi's sister was also married to Dancer's brother Fain who was disowned for marrying a human. Omira lied to Sumi and told her that Fain left her when she refused to have his baby. Omira eventually committed suicide after the humans rejected her for having been married to an Andarion. Dancer tells her how devastated Fain was when he found her in bed with someone else after he gave up everything for her and that he had been sterilized before marrying Omira as she had refused to have his child. And that Fain still loves Omira. This is born out later in the book when Fain ask Sumi about Omira and is heartbroken to learn of her death. Sumi and Dancer grow closer as they travel together and fight off several attacks. Sumi and Dancer eventually make love even though it will mean Dancer's death if anyone finds out and since he goes stralen (a sign of his great love for Sumi) it will be impossible to hide. Dancer realizing he has a tracker implanted in his spine sends Sumi, Thia and Dare to an outpost where they can call for help while he leads the assassins away from them. Dancer meets Bastien (a friend of Fain's) and they join forces. Bastien reveals that he saw Sumi's arrival and her cover story of being on the run from the League is blown. Fearing for the kids safety Dancer and Bastien go after the kids and Sumi. Dancer sends Bastien on to the outpost with the kids while he confronts Sumi. She confesses everything to him and he promises to get her daughter back for her. They head to the outpost and discover that Bastien and the kids have been taken prisoner. Together they free the hostages and destroy the outpost after calling for help. Dancer plans to leave them so the assassins can't track them but he is to ill to do so. Dare pleads to be allowed to climb the mountain and collect a feather/bird bones so his Endurance will be a success. Sumi agrees to go with him and they successfully get the feathers and some bird bones. But when they arrive back in camp they find Bastien and Dancer gone and Thia just waking up after being drugged by a dart. Sumi activates the tracking device they got off the assassins and goes to rescue Dancer and Bastien. They are leaving when Nyk and the others arrive. Dancer makes them swear to protect Sumi before he passes out from his wounds.
When he awakens he is told that Sumi Antaxas no longer exist by the Andarion Queen (Nyk's Mother) and that his Mother and Dariana had demanded her death. He is then left alone to plan his future with Nyk's sister (Sumi the Queen adopted her and as a member of the royal family she can't be put to death, the Queen also adopted Fain). As a higher ranking female Sumi can also challenge Dariana's right to Dancer by fighting Dariana for him. Dancer's Grandmother who likes Sumi gives her the family sword to use in the battle. Dancer and his allies run a search to trace the tracker that was implanted in him (turns out it was the one implanted in Keris and therefore only Dariana had access to it) and to find Kalea. Before they can trace Kalea's whereabouts Kyr shows up and attacks Sumi, she injures him before he escapes but is severely injured herself. Mari (Kyr's brother) is able to use his family connections to find Kalea and while Sumi is unconscious Dancer and his friends go off to rescue her. Thanks to the fact that Kyr tortured Safir (Kyr and Mari's youngest brother and their Father's favorite) Mari's entire family has turned against Kyr and is at war with the League. When Emperor Zatyr (Mari's Father) realizes that Sumi is the one who called and told him Kyr was torturing Safir saving his life they acknowledge a family debt to Sumi meaning they will protect Sumi and her family for the rest of their life.
Sumi takes an experimental drug in order to be healed enough to fight Dariana for Dancer. Sumi wins the contest and when she turns her back Dariana throws a dagger at her. Dare pushes Sumi out of the way and is stabbed instead. Dancer stayed home with Kalea so when Pera (one of his Doctors) comes to check on him he is there. Pera gives him a shot and he dies. Syn manages to revive him and Dare reveals that Pera is his Mother's lesbian lover and that they were lovers before Dariana married Keris. That Pera gave Dariana drugs to give Keris that made him impotent and that Pera is the real reason Dariana refused to accept Dancer. Sumi kills Pera and finds information that shows Pera and Dariana killed Keris if he hadn't fallen to his death he would have died of poisoning and that is the reason Dariana had his body cremated.
Sumi and Dancer are married Dancer adopts Kalea and Sumi and Dancer adopt Dare.
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The Third Gate by Lincoln Child
