Lover Reborn (Book 10)

“Life was short, no matter how many days you were granted. And people were precious, each and every one, no matter how many you were lucky enough to have in your life. And love... love was worth dying for.

Worth living for, too."

-Tohrment

Lover Reborn is the tenth novel of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. It follows Lover Unleashed and precedes Lover at Last. In the Fallen Angels series, it falls between Envy and Rapture. Fallen Angels is a separate series that takes place in the same universe as The Black Dagger Brotherhood and shares locations, lore, and characters. It takes place concurrently with the main series and each book was published between every other Black Dagger Brotherhood book from Lover Avenged and The Shadows and so each should be read in order of publication date.

The story of The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues with the plotting of The Band of Bastards, tensions between Blaylock and Qhuinn, and Tohrment reluctantly renewing his relationship with No'One.

Synopsis[]

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been a heartbroken shadow of the vampire leader he once was.

Brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel, he fights again with ruthless vengeance, unprepared for a new tragedy. Seeing his beloved in dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld—Tohr turns to the angel Lassiter to save his former mate.

The only way to rescue her is for Tohr to love another.

As war with the lessers rages, and a new clan of vampires vie for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between an unforgettable past and a hot, passion-filled future. But can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Main Characters[]

Other Characters[]

Black Dagger Brotherhood Members[]

Others - Speaking Roles[]

Mentioned or non-Speaking Roles[]

Plot[]

Readers should be aware there are depictions of self-harm and references to suicide in this book.

Chapter 1[]

Tohr's taking dangerous risks out in the field without a care for his life or safety, leaving his concerned Brothers to try and keep up.

Chapter 2[]

Meanwhile, Xhex is feeling like those at the mansion, including the doggen, are trying to force her to be more feminine with makeup and nail polish and not fighting in the field, even though she's scheduled for her first rotation the next night. She's not really developed a relationship with her mahmen yet because she feels guilty over the circumstances of her conception.

The nascent relationship is set even further back since No'One's a little afraid of Xhex. No'One tries to apologize and doesn't want Xhex to think she's unwanted like she had been. In typical Xhex fashion, she doesn't react well to any sort of softness or vulnerability and tells No'One that they're both victims and should just go their separate ways. No'One calls her out for using rude bluntness as a self-defense and to not kill whatever may develop between them out of fear. She offers to care for the mating dress Tohrment lent to Xhex in order to preserve it properly, since Xhex has no idea what that entails. The offer baffles Xhex because she can't imagine why No'One would do that, but No'One tells her it's because she's her daughter.

Chapter 3[]

Tohr, John, and Qhuinn run into Xcor and Throe. Tohr tells John to have the reinforcements he called in to stand down before tensions between the two factions escalate into all-out fighting. The Brothers and Bastards fight side-by-side against the lessers and trade barbs afterwards. Xcor is still plotting the downfall of the king and the Brotherhood.

Chapter 4[]

John senses Xhex, who'd come with Rhage as backup, fighting lessers nearby and loses his mind. His arrival distracts Xhex and she takes a knife to the chest. John rips her opponent apart while she moves onto another lesser, then he shoves her out of the way to fight that one, too. They fight because he's mad that she kept fighting while injured and she's mad because he's being a patronizing jerk loudly and in front of the Brotherhood.

Lassiter approaches No'One and tells her that she's there for a very important reason and he's going to help her. Naturally, she's wary of the strange, confusing male who tells her that Tohrment's attracted to her.

Chapter 5[]

Tohr separates John and Xhex, sending her back to get her wound looked at and has Butch drive John the loooong way back so he has time to cool off. Once they're gone, the Brotherhood parrots back to Tohr the advice he just gave John about being reasonable and taking care of himself.

John's unable to deal with the uncertainty of what might happen to Xhex out in the field and knowing that he could very well end up suffering like Tohr if he lost her.

Chapter 6[]

Looking around the dinner table, Tohrment's jealous of the happily mated couples, especially of Jane, Mary, and No'One since they were given second chances at life, but No'One most of all.

Lassiter informs No'One that the gown belonged to Tohr's shellan and how she died, he thinks she should return the gown to Tohr herself since it would remind him that Wellsie's gone. No'One thinks that's cruel, but Lassiter says that Tohr "needs a good hard boot in the ass" because he's running out of time before he'll truly be in hell.

Chapter 7[]

Tohr gets wasted and yells at someone when they knock on his door. Getting up to answer it, he finds Wellsie's dress hanging in the hallway and No'One scurrying away down the hall. He lays the dress on his bed and curls up around, remembering his shellan.

Lassiter checks on Wellsie in the In Between, which for her is a desolate grey plain scoured by the wind. The colour's bleeding out of her and she's coming to resemble the boulders that dot the landscape. The infant in her arms is moving less. He begs them to hold on.

Chapter 8[]

John and Xhex talk and he realizes he'd been wrong when he'd told her he'd be ok with her fighting because he's so scared of ending up like Tohr.

Chapter 9[]

In a meeting with the Brotherhood, Rehvenge reads a letter from Xcor that was sent to every head of the glymera families. In it, he makes it sound like the Brotherhood isn't doing their job whereas the Band of Bastards managed to eradicate the stragglers of the Lessening Society left behind in the Old Country, because the majority of the Lessening Society followed the vampire race to North America. He'd like to meet with the Council to offer the services of the Band of Bastards and commiserate over how far their race has fallen. Tohr confirms that they ran into Xcor earlier so it's not a fake.

Rehvenge wants to kill Xcor because it's the most efficient way of dealing with the situation, but Wrath refuses to pre-emptively assassinate someone who's otherwise committed no transgressions since that would only worsen relations with the glymera. Instead, Wrath asks Rehv to stall Xcor for as long as possible so Wrath can personally meet with the heads of the families, which everyone protests over security concerns. Wrath points out that as king, he hadn't done anything yet to earn their support, actively avoiding the toxic pit of vipers, whereas his father had met with them on a regular basis. Tohr comes up with a strategy for mitigating risks while approaching the meetings in a staggered fashion to avoid looking desperate.

In the meantime, Wrath wants to find the Bastards' hideout and, as the only one who can stand daylight, Xhex offers to handle it. Everyone looks to see how John handles the suggestion, which is to say he's imagining every worst-case scenario, and Xhex loses her temper. Even Rehv tries to tell her that "things are different now." John tries to say it's not wrong to want to keep her safe and she tells him it's about control, not safety. Turning things back on him, she tells him that she wants to keep him safe so he should stop fighting. Without thinking, John just points at Tohr. Xhex leaves and tells him not to follow her.

Mortified, John apologizes to Tohr and he tells him that he's already in hell and he doesn't want what he's going through to happen to John either.

Chapter 10[]

While doing the training center's laundry, No'One takes advantage of the fact that no one's down there to take a quick dip in the pool. Since she only owns dark robes and no swimsuit, a drunk Tohr stumbles upon her swimming in the nude. Startled, he drops the bottle of alcohol he was carrying, it shatters, and he slips, cutting himself on the shards and proving why it's ill-advised to have breakable glass items around a pool. Throwing on her robe, she runs to summon Manny to patch him up, straining her bum leg in the process. She sweeps up the glass and brings a crutch for Tohr to keep off the stitches on the bottom of his foot.

Chapter 11[]

When Manny leaves, Tohr lays into No'One, accusing her of laying in wait for him to come down to the pool so she could seduce him. He even intimates that she's only at the compound to find a hellren or lover and calls her a "whore." The normally quiet and even servile No'One snaps at him that she'd kill herself again before being with another male ever again. She understands why he hates her, but he's delusional and she'll never go near the pool again. Walking away, she thinks that he's nothing like the young male of worth he'd been when she'd first known him.

As soon as she's gone, Tohr realizes he's been as much of a dick as John was earlier and can't believe what he'd said to No'One. Lassiter tells Tohr that he freaked out because he assumed she was attracted to him, which he knows because he's been constantly shadowing Tohr. Tohr tries to brush him off, but Lassiter tells him that Wellsie and their son are stuck in the In Between, aka Purgatory, and will be condemned there forever unless he lets them go. Tohr doesn't want to believe and tells him to bugger off.

Chapter 12[]

Xhex goes to the Iron Mask to talk to Trez and he offers her a job in security.

Xcor wishes he could take over Caldwell from not just Wrath but the humans, too.

Chapter 13[]

No'One goes to the Sanctuary to fume and once she calms, she remembers how angry she'd been after her kidnapping and how long it had taken her to learn from the Chosen that understanding and compassion require strength and are more valuable emotions. To try and understand, she looks into one of the seeing bowls and sees Tohr's life with Wellsie.

Tohr finds her there to apologize and she tells him what she'd be doing and that she understands why he's been so short-tempered, comparing him to a wounded animal. He'd been terrified when Wellsie became pregnant because he was certain that it would only end in disaster since they'd been too happy and too much good fortune would be taken away in the universal balance.

In the interest of honesty, No'One tells him that she's repulsed by all males, including him, and he feels the same way. He also came to do some research and he asks her to show him where the library is.

Chapter 14[]

John Matthew goes to the Iron Mask looking for Xhex and she tells him that it's pretty much her only other option because he's effectively stopped her from fighting since the Brotherhood, including Wrath, look to him first. While the other males respect her, they respect his rights as a mated male more, but they're not the problem in the first place. She tells him she's not sure if she's coming back to the mansion.

Big Tom and Silent Tom come to Xhex with the news that there's another major drug dealer in town and show her some of the product marked with a symbol that means death in the Old Language.

Chapter 15[]

No'One takes Tohr to the Temple of Books where they search for information on the In Between or the afterlife. After coming up empty-handed, Tohr tells her a little of what's going on as he rants at his inability to verify Lassiter's claim. She goes to a recent volume and finds an entry on Wellesandra and notes that it doesn't say that she passed "unto the Fade" as is traditional when a death is recorded by the Chosen scribes, it only says that she was lost.

Chapter 16[]

Returning to the mansion, Tohr yells at Lassiter for information. They argue and Tohr hits Lassiter, who's pulled off the kid gloves. He tells Tohr that he's the problem because hanging onto the past is putting them both in Purgatory. When Tohr can't even say aloud that she's gone, Lassiter leaves and tells him that they're getting nowhere and neither is Wellsie.

Chapter 17[]

John and Xhex have makeup sex and the Band of Bastards has to feed from human prostitutes.

Chapter 18[]

John had ducked out the mansion without telling Qhuinn, who tears into him for putting him in that position as his austrux nohstrum.

Chapter 19[]

Assuming he's going to fail, Lassiter's packing so no one else will have to do it when he gets sucked back into his personal hell. Tohr comes to him and manages to admit aloud that Wellsie's gone.

Chapter 20[]

Tohr looks like crap and Lassiter tells No'One it's time to stop "pussyfooting" around with Tohr. She points out that the Chosen make themselves available for feeding and worries about him, saying she'd do anything to help him rather than let him suffer alone. Lassiter makes her swear to that and she knows he means for her to feed Tohr. Thinking about how she'd forced Tohr to bury her, she could certainly help him to live. She tells him she won't turn him down if he approaches her. Lassiter says he'll handle that part.

Chapter 21[]

Over the past couple of months, Tohr's been making an effort to attend meals, tried not to think about Wellsie, experimented with visualization, been courteous to No'One, even though he hasn't allowed himself to be alone with her, but none of it's working. He also hasn't fed. Looking at No'One brings on his blood hunger.

Dematerializing to a meeting between Wrath and one of the glymera is the last straw and he starts to faint. V sends him home and brings in someone else because he's a liability. Wrath tells him he needs to feed.

Chapter 22[]

Tohr goes to No'One for blood and she admits she's never fed a male willingly before. She tells him that it's ok if he needs to imagine Wellsie instead in order to do what he needs to.

As he feeds, it triggers a flashback for her, but he's too needy to notice at first. When the scent of her terror hits him, he lets her go and she runs away. He blames himself for taking too much, too fast, and in a darkened closet.

Chapter 23[]

Xhex still hasn't returned to the mansion because she'll end up resenting everyone.

Chapter 24[]

No'One wakes from a flashback nightmare and Tohr, hearing her, comes to apologize and promises he'll never come near her again. She tells him that it wasn't him, she'd dreamt of the root cellar the sympath had kept her in. There had been salt licks and salted meats and the salt had set her scars. In a rare display of spine, she tells him that she would feed him again. He tells her that she shouldn't have to go through hell just out of obligation because she's more than a servant or a source of blood. He thinks she's trying to punish herself by hiding under the robe she wears and doing menial tasks, why should she have to endure an aroused male at her vein? She points out that he didn't act on his arousal and he hasn't had enough blood yet. Perplexed by her obstinance, he tells her that she's odd, which she takes as a compliment.

Chapter 25[]

Xcor approaches Assail to tell him he won't allow Assail to conduct his business in Caldwell. Assail, having already sensed Xcor tailing him, shows him a detonator connected to an explosive under his own car and threatens mutual destruction if Xcor shoots.

Xcor finds the Bastards and yells at them for not coming to find him when he'd told them to wait where they were. Throe continues earlier argument with Xcor that the Band of Bastards should have cell phones so they can communicate faster and more effectively, but Xcor dislikes modernization because Ludditism enforces his authority over them and he thinks technology is a crutch for the weak.

As the Bastards go out to fight, Xcor stabs Throe in the gut and whispers to him that he's being left behind for the Brotherhood to find. When they take him to their compound for treatment, he'll claim that he was betrayed by Xcor and wants to throw his lot in with the Brotherhood. Then he'll report back to Xcor in 24 hours or else Xcor will desecrate the remains of Throe's sister.

Three lessers find him before the Brotherhood.

Chapter 26[]

The Brotherhood fight the lessers, find Throe, and take him to the compound. During the fight, Tohr remembers how hungry he'd been and how scared No'One had been when he'd fed from her, as well as his arousal at the time. Anger throws common sense out the window and he walks into the hail of gunfire.

No'One's restocking the clinic with clean scrubs when she overhears Doc Jane get the call that Tohr is coming in injured because he deliberately walked into the line of fire. Vishous tries to get No'One to leave because of the threat Throe poses, but she growls at him that he'll have to drag her lifeless body out of there. Furthermore, she thinks she would be better as a blood source for Tohr since her deformed leg makes her less attractive than Layla, which would be easier for him since he'd be less likely to become aroused with her.

Chapter 27[]

Wrath tells Throe that if he behaves, they'll patch him up and even offer up a vein, although Throe tries to turn down the latter offer.

Tohr comes awake and only wants to feed from No'One. She wants to know why he had so little regard for his own life to do that, and he tells her that he used to be mad at her for a long time for taking her own life, but now that he's lost everything, he understands why she wanted an end to her pain.

Chapter 28[]

After No'One feeds Tohr, which includes significant sexual tension, he offers to feed her in kind.

Chapter 29[]

Xcor's attack on Throe and then leaving him for dead has the rest of the Bastards feeling uneasy, especially since they agreed with Throe that technology would be another tool in their arsenal. Worse, Throe was the only one well-versed in the modern world to do things like procure the house they're using as their base, handle finances, and found females to feed from.

Zypher detects blood and goes upstairs where he finds Xcor cutting himself in remorse for what he did to Throe. The discovery mollifies the Bastards. What no one else knows is that Xcor had stayed behind on a rooftop to make sure the lessers didn't kill Throe and he reassures himself that Throe will receive proper medical care.

Chapter 30[]

Lassiter tells Tohr that he's proud of him for making progress.

No'One comes to Tohr and takes his vein.

Chapter 31[]

There's heavy petting between No'One and Tohr.

Chapter 32[]

Tohr goes to get No'One some food and notices what looks like footprints of silver paint in the hallway. He catches a scent of flowers that had filled his room earlier when Lassiter came in. Tohr realizes that it hadn't been a miracle that he hadn't been killed by the lessers, it had been Lassiter, and he gets Doc Jane.

Chapter 33[]

Lassiter's sunbathing in the nude to heal the damage he'd taken while protecting Tohr from the hail of bullets. Even though he assures her that the sunlight's all he needs to be right as rain, Jane still checks him over and surmises that he saved Tohr's life. Lassiter tells him he doesn't know what she's talking about.

Chapter 34[]

Throe is thoroughly captivated by Layla when she comes to feed him. Phury and Vishous, who remain in the room and are armed for her safety, dislike his attraction to the Chosen and make their opinions known physically.

Tohr asks why Lassiter played meat shield, and he continues to play dumb.

Zypher's happy Throe was released unharmed and as per Xcor's orders, gives him the cremains of his sister and tells him that he's free of his debt to Xcor and doesn't want Throe to report what little he did learn. Throe feels like he doesn't trust Xcor anymore and yet at the same time it's as if he's been exiled from his family again. Assessing his situation, Throe finds that he wants to take the throne himself and claim Layla as his. He goes to Xcor and demands an apology, which he gives.

Chapter 35[]

Tohr wakes from a recurring nightmare of Wellsie in the In Between and John Matthew gets ugly with him about No'One shortly afterwards, not understanding why Tohr has to move on.

Chapter 36[]

Xhex meets with No'One and approves of the changes in her mahmen after getting entangled with Tohr. They discuss the difficulties in their relationships and No'One apologizes to Xhex for leaving her alone in the world. Xhex says she doesn't blame her for not wanting to be stuck with an abomination, but No'One only sees a female of worth when she looks at her daughter. Xhex tells her about her skills as an assassin, and No'One tells her that she takes pride in knowing that Xhex is strong enough to protect herself. After being surrounded by males of the same skills and mindset, how could she possibly judge Xhex differently? Xhex offers to take her on a motorcycle ride.

Chapter 37[]

Returning from the field, Tohr's worried when he can't find No'One anywhere in the compound and only relaxes somewhat when she returns from a ride with Xhex on her Ducati.

After dinner, Lassiter makes Tohr sit down and watch rom-coms with him to remind him of what romance is.

Chapter 38[]

Xcor sent pieces of lessers to one of the glymera as proof of the prowess of the Bastards to force a meeting.

Instead of giving in to the urge to finally have sex with No'One, Tohr goes to the home he'd shared with Wellsie and begins to box things up, realizing that objects aren't her and she won't ever need them again.

Chapter 39[]

After months of blowing him off, Assail's offered to meet with Wrath, which makes the Brotherhood suspicious, natch. They go in loaded for bear and assuming it's a trap.

Chapter 40[]

The meeting barely begins before the Band of Bastards opens fire on Assail's glass house. V automatically blames Assail, who's also hit and had tried to get everyone into the living room that's protected by bullet proof glass. Wrath's hit in the neck. Assail kills the lights and offers a vehicle to evacuate the king in. Wrath stops V from killing Assail before they have the whole picture. Assail insists that he had nothing to do with it nor wants anything to do with it, he just wants to do his drug business.

Things aren't looking too good since backup's occupied with a nasty fight downtown. To clear the way so Wrath can get into the van, Qhuinn leaves the relative safety of the house and John's forced to allow his best friend to leave in order to protect the king.

Chapter 41[]

Xcor's contemplating the best way to attack the van as Qhuinn attacks him, allowing Wrath to escape and Xcor orders a retreat.

Lassiter appears in the van and takes the wheel so V can provide first aid because Wrath's not breathing. He performs a tracheotomy while Lassiter drives hell for leather.

Chapter 42[]

Once again, No'One's at work in the clinic when Jane gets a call warning her of incoming trauma cases and at first she's grateful it's not Tohr, then she realizes it's the king. The household gathers in the hall outside the operating room to keep vigil and find comfort in each other. No'One makes sure people have whatever they need and are comfortable. Finally, Jane and Manny come out and report that Wrath's doing ok since their main concern at that point is infection due to being treated in the field.

Chapter 43[]

Upon learning what Qhuinn did, Layla threatens to hit him despite his injuries; Blay offers to hold Qhuinn down for her to do it when he recovers. Blay realizes that Qhuinn saved Wrath's life because Xcor would have done everything he could to ensure the king didn't make it out of there alive if he hadn't been otherwise occupied. Saxton urges Blay to tell Wrath or Tohr to ensure that Qhuinn gets credit for it since Qhuinn's not likely to tell anyone.

Chapter 44[]

Wrath promises Xcor to Tohr once they have proof he was behind the attack. John Matthew tells them that Qhuinn took on Xcor one-on-one to ensure Wrath could get away safely, which impresses the hell out of the Brothers. They talk about how to officially recognize Qhuinn and Beth suggests making him a Brother, which wasn't something either of them had thought of since no one not of the proper lineage had been inducted into the Brotherhood before. As the king, Wrath can disregard the Old Laws and he thinks Qhuinn's definitely ready and deserving of it.

Chapter 45[]

John realizes how hypocritical he'd been with Xhex since he'd allowed his best friend into danger and had to trust Qhuinn's instincts, training, and ability to keep him safe. She had to trust John's instincts, training, and ability to keep him safe nearly every night instead of trying to stop him. If she did try, he'd calmly and patiently explain that it's part of who he is and he knows to be careful. Even though he'd be destroyed if Xhex died in the field, it didn't really matter since he'd already lost her with his words and actions.

Chapter 46[]

In the aftermath of the fight and the adrenaline, Tohr's feeling the need to feel alive with No'One. Afterwards, he calls her by her given name, Rosalhynda, but she doesn't react well to it. Since Tohr refuses to continue calling her by her chosen name, he suggests a new name of "Autumn" because that's his favourite season.

Chapter 47[]

Using Layla's blood in his veins, Throe summons her to get her feed Xcor, who is severely injured. Since the Brotherhood hadn't told her exactly who she'd fed in the clinic, she continues to assume that Throe fights alongside the Brotherhood and Xcor is his brother-in-arms.

Chapter 48[]

Qhuinn goes to a meeting that Wrath called and finds the entire household waiting for him. The king bows and they all applaud. Normally any emotion other than anger sends Qhuinn running, but with Blay there, he's able to keep it together.

Xhex is summoned for a meeting with Wrath and she assumes it's to dissolve her mating with John Matthew since they've been estranged for a couple of months. Instead, Wrath tells her that he has an assignment for her if she's up to it. They want to get the rifle that was used to shoot Wrath to use as evidence against Xcor. The idea of using her skill sets against a particularly challenging situation in order to extract vengeance is exactly the kind of work she loves.

The Brotherhood will let her work on her own with all their resources available to her, but she can't touch Xcor until they have the evidence; unless, of course, she needs to defend herself and then she can do anything necessary to ensure her own safety.

Chapter 49[]

The Band of Bastards drags Xcor to where Throe and Layla wait for him in a field. He's completely smitten by her beauty and she's horrified that he's half-dead. He tries to keep her from feeding him because he thinks he's too far gone and unworthy of her presence in the first place. Layla, in turn, is captivated by him and assumes, from her brief encounter with Throe at the clinic, that they're soldiers who fight alongside the Brotherhood.

Chapter 50[]

Xhex asks John what changed. He tells her that she was right and tells her how he'd let Qhuinn go out into certain danger because he was the best fit for the job as a heavy hitter. Xhex is the best fit for the mission since she can go into daylight and use her sympath abilities if need be. John thought it would help heal the rift between them, but Xhex tells him to let her go because she thinks he isn't bonded to her anymore. He tells her she's wrong and he's still bonded to her. Suggesting she handle the assignment wasn't only about them because it was also simply the right thing to do. Although he wants her back, he's not going to dictate the terms and they make progress together.

Chapter 51[]

Xcor is angry at Throe for using an innocent, Layla, and he vows to never call upon her again.

Chapter 52[]

Tohr's taking care of Autumn and hand-feeding her berries, which is when she realizes that she's in love with him.

Chapter 53[]

Wellsie's not doing well in the In Between and Lassiter's losing hope.

Xhex hasn't found the Bastards yet and she's getting frustrated. Even though she's been going to the mansion multiple times a week, she hasn't been intimate with John because he's holding back until she succeeds in her mission to prove he meant what he'd said to her. She approaches Assail, who tries to warn her away from Xcor because he's merciless and he doesn't think she can deal with him.

Chapter 54[]

Tohr and Autumn are falling more and more for each other, but Wellsie's still stuck.

Chapter 55[]

Autumn's needing hits and she orders Jane to not call Tohr

Chapter 56[]

John, Layla, and Qhuinn go out and over desserts, Layla tells them that she's fallen for someone and tells them how Throe had summoned her to feed Xcor.

Chapter 57[]

Jane has Tohr come in from the field and he realizes right away that Autumn's in her needing; he assumes that he was summoned to service her. He remembers how Wellsie had fought with him over trying for a child in her last needing, arguing that she wanted a living part of him if he died in the field.

Tohr refuses to service Autumn, but Jane tells him it's because Autumn won't take any drugs to knock her out and she's in pain. Jane hopes that he can convince her to change her mind. Autumn continues to refuse and Tohr vows he'll never service her and to prove it, he takes the drugs and knocks himself unconscious.

Chapter 58[]

Qhuinn tells Layla that Xcor had attempted to assassinate Wrath and Qhuinn had been the one to put Xcor in the state he'd been in when she fed him. He explains that they'd had him take her vein to ensure that Throe didn't die on the Brotherhood's watch, which had been before the murder attempt. She faints.

While hunting Xcor, Xhex stumbles across John and Qhuinn with an unconscious Layla. She calls in iAm, who's not far away, and he loans them a car to get Layla back to the mansion. Before they leave, Xhex assumes John's going to go bonded male on her again. Instead, he tells her that they'll take care of Layla and Xhex can get back to what she was doing.

Chapter 59[]

Xcor, also being in the vicinity, senses Layla. Although he's enamoured of her, he knows his lifestyle is too violent for her.

Layla's scared that she'll be expelled from the Chosen and be left without a home, purpose, or the only family she's ever known.

Chapter 60[]

After Autumn's needing is over, Jane thinks Autumn has some issues to work through. Autumn's upset with her for texting Tohr. Tohr's upset with Autumn, thinking that she'd foregone the drugs so he'd feel sorry enough to service her. When she denies it, Tohr calls her mentally ill for willingly punishing herself not only by going through her needing without drugs but by being with him since she knows he loves someone else. He tells her that she's feeding her martyr complex by relegating herself to the role of a servant and she enjoys being a victim. She screams at him to leave. He tells her that he's done being used so she can get her fix because their situation isn't healthy for either of them, it's never been healthy and he thinks he shouldn't have let it go on for so long.

Chapter 61[]

Lassiter appears to Tohr as he's leaving Autumn and coldcocks him. He tells Tohr that he's condemned Wellsie for eternity. Tohr lashes out by telling him that he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about and has been talking out his ass when he wasn't rotting his brain with TV. Lassiter gives him the middle finger, says he quit, and walks away.

Layla apologizes to Wrath, who's not angry since he knows she had no idea who Xcor really was since she thought she was legitimately helping an ally of the Brotherhood nor has she looked for him since. Moreover, she told John and Qhuinn where she'd met with Xcor. Wrath tells her that the Band of Bastards knew she has a big heart and took advantage of that. Phury admits he should have been honest with her about who Throe really was, but he'd hoped to keep her from getting sucked into the war and it never occurred to him that the Bastards would try to use her. Layla vows to tell Wrath and Phury if the Bastards reach out to her again. She even offers to use the blood connection to find Xcor, but they turn her down, not wanting to endanger her.

Triggered by Autumn's, Layla's needing hits and she asks Qhuinn to service her. Since neither of them has any real family, she tells him that they can build their own future.

Chapter 62[]

Qhuinn wants someone to love and remembers the vision he'd had of his daughter when he'd nearly died after the honor guard beat him for killing Lash. He agrees to service Layla.

John tells Xhex how Throe tricked Layla into feeding Xcor and she'd offered to help track him. If Xhex enlists Layla's help, she has to keep the Chosen's involvement a secret. More than anything else he's said or done, that convinces Xhex that he's truly accepted her as a fighter and, moreover, to keep a non-combatant female safe.

Xhex checks in on Autumn, who asks her for a place to stay and Xhex tells her she can move in with her for as long as she wants. Knowing that something must have happened between Autumn and Tohr, she presses for information, but all she tells Xhex is that he told Autumn what he really thought of her and that bridge is pretty much burned.

Chapter 63[]

Autumn's worried about being a burden on Xhex while staying at her cabin since she doesn't have any income. She also warns Xhex off of Tohr since she'd known what she was getting into.

Chapter 64[]

After being a colossal dick to both Autumn and Lassiter, Tohrment sat in the underground parkade for at least 24 hours thinking about Autumn, Wellsie, and his behaviour. He knows he has to apologize to Autumn and Lassiter. He lets himself drift off to sleep with the intention of dreaming of Wellsie again. She's beginning to disintegrate into the dust that fills her In Between. Seeing her, he realizes what he has to do.

Tohr asks John to help him with something.

Xhex asks Layla to help her find Xcor in order to find the hideout where the rifle used to shoot Wrath is kept. Even though she knows she can't tell anyone, Layla agrees to help.

Chapter 65[]

Tohrment donates all of Wellsie's old clothing and unopened toiletries to Safe Place as well as her pots, pans, and knives. He tells Marissa Wellsie would have hated for anything to go to waste and would have wanted it to go to those in need. The last gift is a set of jewelry inlaid with rubies and diamonds that he'd given to Wellsie for their anniversary that he guesses is probably worth at least $250,000. He tells Marissa to sell the jewels to fund an expansion since they're in need of more space, which Marissa names after Wellsie.

Chapter 66[]

Although it pains her, Layla successfully tracks Xcor for Xhex.

As they're packing up the house, John asks Tohr what made him decide it was time and Tohr tells him that it was a lot of things. He's never mentioned Wellsie's predicament to John. He apologizes to Tohr for being angry at him for being with Autumn and he's surprised when Tohr says he's not going to mate her. Tohr tells John that he nuked any chances he ever had with her and John empathizes with him. Since John turns down the offer of the house because he agrees it's time to let go, Tohr's going to put the house on the market.

Chapter 67[]

While doing chores at Xhex's cabin, which is already spic and span, Autumn thinks about what Tohrment had said. Without the distraction and routine of cleaning, she's forced to truly face herself and realize he was right since she'd already assumed the role of maid for her daughter, even though that's not what Xhex wants. She'd never been commanded by anyone to serve, not the Brotherhood, the Chosen, not even the Scribe Virgin. She had put herself into that role partly because before the kidnapping she'd been a horrid mistress to her doggen and felt superior in her pampered life of leisure.

Xhex warns Autumn that Tohr's going to come to see her and tells her how he'd packed up the house. Autumn doesn't really think that there's anymore to say between her and Tohr. Xhex tells her a little of the problems she'd been having with John and that his actions were what convinced her that he'd changed. Autumn points out that John loves Xhex, whereas Tohr loves Wellsie and will never love her.

Xhex infiltrates the Band of Bastards' base and gets the rifle.

Chapter 68[]

In preparation for Wellsie's Fade ceremony, Tohrment gets her cremains, kept in a Tiffany's silver art deco box from the 1930's that Darius had collected and Fritz found in storage at the mansion.

Xhex hands over the rifle to Vishous for ballistics testing.

Chapter 69[]

Tohrment goes to the cabin to apologize. She tells him that after they last spoke, although she was devastated, she didn't punish himself. She had, indeed, fallen in love with him, but she'd done her best to keep that from him because she knew it would hurt him to know he'd allowed another female that close to him. She had honestly fallen in love with him and wanted to spare him any more pain rather than punishing herself. She truly cares about what happens to Wellsie so she hopes that selling the house and donating Wellsie's things helps release them both.

Although he'd come to talk to her about Autumn and not Wellsie, Autumn tells him that their unhealthy cycle is complete. The first time they met, their relationship had been all about her and her trauma. This time around, it was all about him and his trauma. Since she hurt him by using his own dagger to kill herself, forcing him to dig her grave in the middle of winter, and leaving him with a newborn and he in turn hurt her repeatedly with his words and actions, their misdeeds effectively cancel each other out so the cycle is complete.

Tohr tells her that he'd fallen in love with her as well, but hadn't wanted to acknowledge his feelings for her. Since she's been gone, he reaches for her in bed until he remembers she isn't there, or how he'll start to make food for her, too. While he was packing up Wellsie's things, he'd wished Autumn was there with him. He'd snapped at Autumn because he hadn't been honest with himself, thinking that he only had one true love, but it didn't turn out that way so he took it out on her. He'd ultimately given into Wellsie's desire to get pregnant because she'd wanted something to keep her going if he died in the field and he wanted that for her. When Autumn went into her needing, he remembered that and knew that Wellsie would have wanted him to move on with his life and he has.

At this point, Lassiter appears and startles the crap out of the two of them. Even though he'd told Tohr he peaced out, Lassiter was angry at first, but then didn't want to distract Tohr from the personal work he was doing. He checks to see if Autumn's ok, and Tohr warns him off of pressuring her into anything.

Before leaving, he invites Autumn to Wellsie's Fade Ceremony and asks Lassiter to keep her company. Lassiter does and introduces her to Real Housewives.

Chapter 70[]

Assail attends a meeting between Xcor and the glymera except for Rehvenge. Assail sees that Xcor won't brook any other power should he attain the throne, which would make him a target if his drug business goes the way he plans. He leaves early, announcing that he's going to remain a neutral party and won't speak of anything he witnessed that night.

Chapter 71[]

While the household's preparing for the Fade ceremony, Rhage lends to Tohr the watch he gave to Mary so he can wear it and know that they're with him. Phury gives him a long ribbon that the Chosen, including Cormia, embroidered with a prayer for strength and tells him that they're all with him. Zsadist hugs him and gives him a parchment with Nalla's handprint in red paint as a pledge of support from Z's family. V doesn't really say anything, as is his way, and gives him a pair of exquisite daggers he'd made and etched with more prayers for strength. Butch lends his cross to Tohr as a symbol of his faith since he knows from experience that words don't help ease grief. Wrath has to order Tohr to wear the king's ring for the ceremony because Tohr tries to refuse. John Matthew lends him Darius' signet ring since Darius couldn't be there in person to be there for Tohr and he knows Darius would want him to wear it.

Tohr ties the ribbon over his white ceremonial robe as a belt and tucks Nalla's parchment behind it. He puts on a white dagger holster for V's daggers. The king's ring fits on his right thumb and Darius' signet ring he wears on his left middle finger.

Although Lassiter feels like they're in the home stretch and he's proud of both Autumn and Tohr, he feels an inexplicable sense of dread.

Chapter 72[]

Part of the Fade ceremony includes applying a branding iron to Wellsie's and their unborn son's names carved into his back. The male is supposed to scream from pain as his final good-bye and Tohr does, collapsing to the floor. He sees those gathered crying, including Autumn and he reaches out for her.

Lassiter sees Wellsie holding Tohrment, son of Tohrment, looking down on Autumn and Tohr with love before passing into the Fade. He prepares for his own release from his task, but it doesn't come. Instead, Autumn is called unto the Fade since she had condemned herself to her own In Between, which is different for everyone, by taking her own life. Only then is Lassiter, who's horrified at what that means for the couple, released.

Chapter 73[]

Autumn finds herself standing before the door to the Fade and kicks and screams at it. Lassiter appears and hauls her away from it, getting bit in the process. He tells her to not go through the door because he's going to try something, but there's no chance if she enters the Fade. He's going to give up everything he has in order to save her and Tohr.

Chapter 74[]

Tohr hopes that it's all a nightmare. Vishous and Payne talk about going to the Scribe Virgin. The doorbell interrupts the chaos. Since everyone who knows where the mansion's location is currently in the foyer, it grabs everyone's attention. Fritz lets Autumn in and she explains to Tohr that Lassiter had mentioned a sacrifice, which is the only explanation to the miracle.

Chapter 75[]

Xcor knows that Layla's somehow behind the missing rifle and is determined to find her.

Chapter 76[]

Qhuinn's realized that loved ones can be taken at any time and that he's done running from his feelings for Blay.

Chapter 77[]

Lassiter returns, cockier than ever, with Big Macs in hand, the same thing he'd fed to Tohr when he found him half-dead in a cave. He, too, was being tested and he passed, freeing him from his own In Between. After thinking it over, he decided he was doing the most good on earth with the Brotherhood and so he returned. Grateful, Autumn and Tohr hug him. Tohr enjoys the burgers and fries at home with loved ones more than he did in that cave.