Frostbound

Prologue

“Till death do us part.

“Quite the statement, isn’t it? When we utter those words, are we describing love, the bond of hunter and prey, or both? That is the question of the night.

“Good evening, my darkling listeners, this is your night hostess, Errata Jones, on CSUP. I’m coming to you from the glorious U of Fairview campus, on the radio station that puts the ‘super’ in supernatural. Tonight’s program is filled with the usual basket of goodies, but first let’s take a sneak peek at the main event. We’re talking about love—and not the easy kind.

“Ever since the nonhumans came out of the shadows in Y2K, we’ve had to navigate the world with our claws in and our fangs firmly out of sight. Whether you’re a vampire, a hellhound, or a werecougar like me, we’ve been meek and mild, not just with our human neighbors, but with each other. We’ve learned to get along. To sit at the same table. To act like friends and family. It’s all been very civilized.

“But anyone who knows a real family, who knows what it is to truly love, will tell you passion isn’t about getting along. It’s the crash of undiluted personalities. It’s the thrill of the chase. It’s the scent of blood and the heat of skin against your lips as you struggle against an inevitable surrender. It is undoubtedly beautiful, but never pretty.

“So the question is, ghouls and girlies, what about interspecies romance? If we drop the masks and give our sad little monster hearts away, will anyone still respect us in the morning? If we show them our true selves, will anyone be left alive?

“The phone lines are open. Talk to me.”