Forbidden Drink — Nicola Claire

'I watched as he comprehended what it was that he saw on my face, in my eyes. And I watched as a part of him shut down, locked away from me forever. And I hid the fact that my heart was breaking even as I lied to him, even as I broke his. And I swore I would never let him know otherwise, or I would truly be lost and the war would be over.'Surviving Paris and the Iunctio has left a jagged mark on Lucinda's soul. Now she must stay under their radar and out of their sights. But that's not all she has to worry about. Lucinda's life is spiralling out of her control. There are those who want to shackle her under the guise of protection and love. If she is to have a chance at fulfilling the Prophesy, she must break free. But, to do that is to cross a line. One she had never thought she would.With her personal world becoming more complicated and her powers growing by the day, Lucinda has to take on even more responsibility. Helping out the Master of Wellington City with an increasingly alarming human vigilante problem. Split between Wellington and Auckland, her kindred and her pull toward the vampire who wears her mark, Lucinda has to dig deep to stay true to the Light within and not give in to the seduction of the Dark.And then, there are the shapeshifters and her best friend Rick. Things are changing, relationships twisting and Lucinda has to face it all while battling to stay in control. Control that she feels is slipping through her fingers as surely as blood drips from an open vein.