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Broken (Women of the Otherworld, Book 6) (An Otherworld Novel) Kindle Edition
Ever since she discovered she’s pregnant, Elena Michaels has been on edge. After all, she’s never heard of another living female werewolf, let alone one who’s given birth. But thankfully, her expertise is needed to retrieve a stolen letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper. As a distraction, the job seems simple enough—only the letter contains a portal to Victorian London’s underworld, which Elena inadvertently triggers—unleashing a vicious killer and a pair of zombie thugs.
Now Elena must find a way to seal the portal before the unwelcome visitors get what they’re looking for—which, for some unknown reason, is Elena…
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBantam
- Publication dateApril 25, 2006
- File size1123 KB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Action abounds as old characters and new ones run with a plot full of twists, turns and enough red herrings to keep the most persnickety of readers entertained. A vastly entertaining read!" FreshFiction.com
About the Author
KELLEY ARMSTRONG is the internationally bestselling author of Omens and Visions, the first two books in her Cainsville series, the 13-book Women of the Otherworld series and the Nadia Stafford crime novels. She is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling young adult trilogies, Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising, and Sea of Shadows, the acclaimed first novel in her newest YA fantasy series.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Clayton doesn't do "unobtrusive" well. Not even when he tries, and that afternoon, he was trying his damnedest. He was downwind of me, at least two hundred feet away, so I couldn't smell him, see him or hear him. But I knew he was there.
As I stood under the oaks, I couldn't suppress a twinge of resentment at the pressure his presence added to an already gut-twisting situation. Yes, I'd been the one to suggest the run, leaping up from the lunch table and declaring I was ready. He'd asked if he should stay inside—possibly the first time in our fifteen-year relationship that Clay had been willing to give me space. But I'd grabbed his hand and dragged him out with me. Now I was blaming him for being here. Not fair. But better than to admit that what I felt was not resentment but fear—fear that I would fail, and in failing I would disappoint him.
I took a deep breath and filled my lungs with the loamy richness of a forest emerging from winter, the first buds appearing tentatively, as if still uncertain. Uncertain . . . good word. That was what I felt: uncertainty.
Uncertainty? Try abject, pant-pissing, stomach-heaving terror—
I took another deep breath. The scent of the forest filled me, called to me, like Clay's presence out there, beckoning—
Don't think of him. Just relax.
I followed the sound of a rabbit thumping nearby, upwind and oblivious of me. As I moved, I saw my shadow and realized I was still standing. Well, there was the first problem. I'd undressed, but how would I Change if I was still on two legs?
As I started to crouch, a pang ran through the left side of my abdomen and I froze, heart pounding. It was probably a random muscle spasm or a digestive complaint. And yet . . .
My fingers rubbed the hard swell of my belly. There was definitely a swell there, however staunchly Jeremy swore otherwise. I could feel it with my hand, feel it in the tightening waistband of my jeans. Clay tried to avoid the question—smart man—but when pressed he would admit I did seem to be showing already. Showing, when I was no more than five weeks pregnant. That shouldn't be. Yet one more thing to add to my growing list of worries.
At the top of the list was this: the regular transformation from human to wolf that my body required. I had to Change, but what would it do to my baby?
My fear over losing my child came as a revelation to me. In the nearly three years I'd wrestled with the thought of having a baby, I'd considered the possibility that the choice wouldn't be mine to make, that being a werewolf might mean I wouldn't be able to conceive or carry a child to term. I'd accepted that. If my pregnancy ended, I'd know that I couldn't have a child. That would be that.
Now that I was actually pregnant I couldn't believe I'd been so cavalier. This was more than a collection of cells growing in me, it was the actualization of a dream I'd thought I'd lost when I became a werewolf. A dream I was certain I'd given up when I decided to stay with Clay.
But I had to Change. Already I'd waited too long, and I could feel the need in every muscle spasm and restless twitch, hear it in my growls and snaps whenever someone spoke to me. Twice I'd come out here with Clay, and twice I'd been unable—or refused—to Change. Make it a third, and Clay and Jeremy would be flipping coins to see who locked me in the cage. That was a safety precaution—being Change-deprived makes us violent and unpredictable—but given my surly behavior this past week, I wouldn't blame them if they fought over the privilege.
Just Change, goddamn it! Get down on your knees . . . See? That feels fine, right? Now put your hands on the ground . . . There. Now concentrate—
My body rebelled, convulsing so hard I doubled over, gasping. Change into a wolf? With a baby inside me? Was I crazy? I'd rip, tear, suffocate—
No!
I pushed up onto all fours and cleared my head, then opened the gate only to thoughts bearing the pass-code of logic. Was this my first Change since I'd become pregnant? No. It was the first since I'd learned I was pregnant, two weeks ago. I must have Changed a half-dozen times between conception and testing.
Had anything happened during those Changes? Bleeding? Cramping? No.
So stop worrying. Take a deep breath, smell the forest, dig your fingers into the damp soil, hear the whistle of the April wind, feel the ache in your muscles. Run to Clay, who'll be so happy, so relieved . . .
My skin prickled, stretching, itching as fur sprouted—
My brain threw up the brakes again and my body tensed. Sweat trickled down my cheeks. I growled and dug my fingers and toes into the soft earth, refusing to reverse the process.
Relax, relax, relax. Just stop worrying and let your body do the work. Like constipation. Relax and nature takes over.
Constipation? Oh, there was a romantic analogy. I laughed, and my changing vocal cords squeezed the sound into a hideous screech, more worthy of a hyena than a wolf, which only made me laugh all the harder. I toppled sideways and, as I lay there, laughing, I finally relaxed.
The Change took over, spontaneous. My convulsions of laughter turned to spasms of pain, and I twisted and writhed on the ground. The pain of a Change. Yet some still-panicked part of my brain convinced me this wasn't the normal kind of pain—I was killing my child, suffocating it as my body contorted.
I must—Must stop—Oh, God, I couldn't!
I tried to stop—fighting, snarling, concentrating on reversing to human. But it was too late. I'd waited too long, and now my body was determined to see it through.
Finally, the pain ended, gone without so much as a lingering ache, and I lay on my side, panting, then leapt to my feet.
Damn it, not so fast! Be careful.
I stood there, motionless except for my tail, which wouldn't stop whipping from side to side, as if to say "Well, we're Changed. What are you waiting for? Let's run!" The rest of my body didn't disagree with the sentiment, though it let the tail do the shouting, settling for subtler displays of restlessness: heart tripping, ears swiveling, muscles tensing. I refused to move, though; not until I'd taken inventory, made sure everything was as it should be.
First, my belly. No obvious signs of distress. I panted, letting my chest rise and fall, testing whether the movement seemed to hurt anything. It didn't, though my stomach did let out a growl as that nearby rabbit's scent wafted past. You wouldn't know I'd just devoured a three-course lunch. Ungrateful stomach. But the other part of my belly, newly filling with life, felt fine.
I lifted my paws one at a time, stretching and rotating my joints. Good. My nose and ears had done fine picking up that rabbit. And the still-wagging tail was obviously working. Okay, enough of this.
I stepped forward. One paw, two, three, four . . . No sudden scream of complaint from my belly. I broke into a lope, then a run, then a headlong dash across the clearing. Still no signs of distress.
Next, the tougher moves—the wolf maneuvers. I crouched, wiggled my hindquarters, then leapt at an imaginary mouse. As I hit the ground, I wheeled around, teeth bared as I snapped at an unseen foe. I bounded across the clearing. I jumped and twisted in midair. I pranced. I lunged. I charged. I chased my tail—
A wheezing sound erupted behind me and I froze, the tip hairs of my tail still caught between my teeth. There, across the clearing, was a huge, golden-haired wolf, his head between his forepaws, eyes closed, hindquarters in the air, body quivering with that strange wheezing noise. His eyes opened, bright blue eyes dancing with relief and amusement, and I realized what that noise was. He was laughing at me.
Laughing? I'd just gone through a horrible trauma, and the guy had the nerve to laugh? I knew half of that laughter was relief at seeing me Changed, and I admit I probably looked a little silly gallivanting alone in the clearing. But still, such indignities should not be tolerated.
With as much grace as I could muster with tail fur hanging out of my mouth, I swept around and stalked in the other direction. Halfway across the clearing, I wheeled and charged, teeth bared. His eyes widened in "oh, shit" comprehension and he backpedaled just in time to get out of my way, then bolted into the forest.
I tore after him. I loped along the path, muzzle skimming the ground. The earth was thick with the scent of my prey—a deliberate move, as he weaved and circled, permeating this patch of forest with his smell, hoping to throw me off the trail.
I untangled the web of trails and latched onto the most recent. As I picked up speed, the ground whooshed past beneath me. Ahead, the path opened into a clearing. I pitched forward, straining for the open run, but before I hit the edge of the clearing, I dug in my claws and skidded to a graceless stop.
I stood there, adrenaline roaring, urging me to find him, take him down. I closed my eyes and shuddered. Too eager. Keep that up and I'd run straight into a trap. After a moment, the adrenaline rush ebbed and I started forward again, cautious now, ears straining, muzzle up, sniffing as I walked.
My eyes saved me this time. That and the sun, peeking from fast-moving clouds. One break in the cloud cover and I caught the glint of gold through the trees. He was downwind, crouched to the left of the path's end, waiting for me to come barreling out.
I retraced my last few steps, walking backward. An awkward maneuver—some things easily accomplished on two legs are much more difficult to coordinate with four. Once I'd gone as far as I could, I craned to look over my shoulder. The trees closed in on me from either side. Not enough room to guarantee a silent about-face.
I took a careful step off the path. The undergrowth was soft and moist with spring rain. I prodded at it, but it stayed silent. Hunkering down to stay below branch level, I started forward, looping to slink up behind him. Once close enough to see through the trees, I peered out. He was crouched beside the path, as still as a statue, only the twitch of his tail betraying his impatience.
I found the clearest line of fire, hunched down, then sprang. I hit him square on the back and sank my teeth into the ruff around his neck. He yelped and started to rear up, then stopped. I let out a growling chuckle, knowing he didn't dare throw me off in my "condition." All I had to do was hang on—
He dropped, letting his legs fold, his body cushioning my drop, but the suddenness of it was enough of a surprise that I let go of his ruff. As he slid from under me, he twisted and pinned me, his teeth clamping around the bottom of my muzzle. I kicked at his underbelly. He snorted as my claws made contact, but made no move to fight back.
He looked down at me, indecision flickering in his eyes. Then he released my muzzle and his head shot down to my throat. I wriggled, trying to pull out of the way, but he only buried his nose in the ruff around my neck and inhaled deeply. He shuddered, legs vibrating against my sides. A moment's hesitation. Then a soft growl, and he twisted off me and dove into the woods again.
I scrambled to my feet and set off in pursuit. This time he had too much of a head start, and I could only get close enough to see his hindquarters bounding ahead. He flicked his tail up. Mocking me, damn him. I surged forward, getting close enough to hear the pounding of his heartbeat. He veered and crashed into the forest, off the trail, and I chortled to myself. Now I had him. Cutting a fresh path would slow him down just enough to let me—
A brace of ptarmigan flew up, almost under my feet, and I slid to a halt, nearly flipping over backward in my surprise. As the panicked birds took to the sky, I got my bearings again, looked around . . . and found myself alone. Tricked. Damn him. And damn me for falling for it.
I found his trail, but before I'd gone a hundred feet, a gurgling moan rippled through the silence. I stopped, ears going up. A grunt, then panting. He was Changing.
I dove into the nearest thicket and began my own Change. It came fast, spurred by a healthy double shot of adrenaline and frustration. When I finished, he was still in his thicket.
I crept around to the other side, pulled back a handful of leaves and peered through. He was done, but recovering, crouched on all fours, panting as he caught his breath. By the rules of fair play, I should have given him time to recuperate. But I wasn't in the mood for rules.
I sprang onto his back. Before he could react, my arm went around his neck, forearm jammed against his windpipe.
I leaned over his shoulder. "Did you think you could escape that easily?"
His lips formed an oath, but no sound came out. His shoulders slumped, as if defeated. Like I was stupid enough to buy that. I pretended to relax my grip. Sure enough, the second I did, he twisted, trying to grab me.
I slid off his back and pulled him down sideways. Before he could recover, I was on top of him, my forearm again at his throat. His hands slid up my sides, snuck around and cupped my breasts.
"Uh-uh," I growled, pressing against his windpipe. "No distractions."
He sighed and let his hands slide away. I eased back. As soon as I did, he flipped me over, still far more gently than usual, and pinned me as securely as he had in wolf-form. He eased down, belly and groin against mine. He slid his hands back to my breasts and grinned at me, daring me to do something about it now.
I glared up at him. Then I shot forward and sank my teeth into his shoulder. He jerked away. I scrambled up, then pinned him, hands on his shoulders, knees on his thighs. He struggled, but couldn't get me off without throwing me.
From the Paperback edition.
Product details
- ASIN : B000GCFWLE
- Publisher : Bantam (April 25, 2006)
- Publication date : April 25, 2006
- Language : English
- File size : 1123 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 480 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 0356500209
- Best Sellers Rank: #131,115 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #44 in American Horror
- #297 in Demons & Devils Paranormal Romance
- #385 in Contemporary Fantasy Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Kelley Armstrong believes experience is the best teacher, though she’s been told this shouldn’t apply to writing her murder scenes. To craft her books, she has studied aikido, archery and fencing. She sucks at all of them. She has also crawled through very shallow cave systems and climbed half a mountain before chickening out. She is however an expert coffee drinker and a true connoisseur of chocolate-chip cookies.
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I admit, I am a big fan of Kelley Armstrong's particularly her werewolf novels. When I found out this novel was about Elena's pregnancy and Jack the ripper, I admit I was less than enthused. I've never been a fan of 'jack the ripper' or novels in which pregnancy is a central theme... However this book was so delightful I have changed my opinion on the matter. It's so great after her recent forays into witches and demons to return to her roots, the werewolves. I found Clay and Elena and Nick touching. I loved the character of Jer. I loved the way Armstong builds the suspense in this one and really leaves you hanging as to what is going on.
Downsides? I seriously dislike Jaime, and although her presence makes sense, I find her pining after Jer seriously annoying. I was hoping for one book without her.
Pros: I like Zoe. She's a fun character. I loved the scenes where she was hitting on Elena. Also, liked seeing more of Nick. Nick is such a cutie. I like the scenes with Nick, Clay, and Elena together. These three characters play well off each other. Jer's presence was an added bonus, as he is definitely my favorite werewolf character and plays a larger role in this novel.
Personally, I'd love to see her write more werewolf novels. While I enjoy her other work, I find I prefer her novels related to the pack. This was definitely the best book I've read all year. Awesome.
Elena Michaels is the only known female werewolf and has finally settled into a satisfying domestic life with her lover/husband/mate Clayton Danvers and the Pack's alpha, Jeremy. Big changes are in store since Elena is pregnant and no one has a clue what sort of complications could ensue. To make matters worse, a conniving half-demon, Xavier Reese, is calling in a chit that Elena owes him by asking her to steal the Jack the Ripper 'From Hell' letter for him.
After successfully purloining the coveted document, Elena and the Pack inadvertently open a dimensional portal to Victorian England and let loose the supernatural nasties within. In their attempts to close the portal and rectify the chaos, Elena comes in contact with witches, a vampire, a necromancer, zombies, and sorcerers.
What makes the book so much fun is the obvious skill of the author in being able to tell her tale with such seemingly effortlessness. Readers will feel the need to keep reading until the problems and mysteries are resolved; and will be treated to a very satisfying conclusion.
All in all, another first-class installment in a high-quality series of books.
~Short Review~
At a Glance
I did enjoy reading Broken, but I feel like it was a filler book. It really wasn't needed to move the series along. But I was excited to get another story about Elena and Clay.
The Good
We finally get another book with Elena and Clay. They are my favorite characters in this series. I loved them in Bitten and Stolen, which are the best books in the series so far. And I loved them in this book as well. Elena is 5 months pregnant. Being the only female werewolf, pregnancy is a whole new concept with unknown risks and Elena is very fearful. Can she shift without harming the babies? Clay and Jeremy both are nervous wrecks over the pregnancy, which I loved. I have seen men crumble when their wives or daughters are pregnant, so their odd behavior rang very true to me.
Once we get into the action, Broken is a quick read with some good mystery and action. Things really go downhill fast when Elena lets loose a well known serial killer that brings along with him zombies and killer rats. So the group has no other choice than to call in reinforcements. We get to see Nick (I just love Nick), Anthony, and Jaime again. And you know when Jaime is on the scene the fun begins. So does the hilarity. Armstrong outdoes herself when it comes to the dialogue. I love to be scared and be able to laugh at the same time when I read a book. These characters definitely know their way around witty banter.
We also get to meet new characters. Zoe the vampire was very enjoyable. She really had me cracking up the whole time. It only gets better when she makes her obvious attraction to Elena known. I hope to see her again.
I think Elena and Clay are in a great place. They are starting a family and they still have smokin' chemistry. Clay is still insanely protective, but he has every right to be. I just love them together. I was heartbroken by what Clay went through in this book. But it definitely gave him more depth and added some gut-clenching scenes that kept me glued to the pages.
The Bad
A lot of the book was focused on Elena's pregnancy which is fine, but for a paranormal book it was odd. And then the paranormal part with Jack the Ripper being released into the here and now and zombies attacking the characters we love, it all seemed forced. It had nothing to do with the series as a whole. And some of the scary parts were a little glanced over, so we didn't even get to be emerged into the exciting parts.
I found it very annoying that Elena takes this "case" while putting her babies in danger. She is a pregnant woman, and she does these very dangerous things because she is bored. Come on Elena, don't be so stupid and selfish. You are not just risking your life anymore.
Really, I think the plot was just too thin and not up to par for an Armstrong book.
The Snuggly
We get two sex scenes that are sexy and playful but conservative. Nothing overdone at all.
Overall
The characters make this book. Seeing our old favorites is worth the read. But don't expect an original plot with depth. Read this book for the characters we have come to love. Recommended for those who follow the series.
Quotes
"We scarified a mosquito. I bet that's what did it. It was probably a virgin too."
~~~~~~
"Go out and ask her into the alley."
Clay looked at Jeremy as if he'd just been told to dance the rumba on a public thoroughfare.
I bit back a laugh. "Just walk over to her and point at the alley. Maybe say...I don't know...something like `fifty bucks.' " I looked at Jeremy. "Does that sound right? Fifty?"
His brows shot up. "Why are you asking me?"
"I wasn't--I just meant, as a general..." I threw up my hands. "How am I supposed to know how much a hooker costs?"
Top reviews from other countries
BROKEN is the 6th novel in Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. BROKEN continues the story of Elena, Clay and the other werewolves, but this time Elena is pregnant. As the only known female werewolf, Elena isn't sure what to expect'literally. But when someone from her past calls in a favor, Elena knows this could be her final chance for adventure, before giving birth.
Ever since Elena Michaels discovered she was pregnant, she has been unable to concentrate. As the months pass and the pregnancy advances, shape-shifting, her ability to fight and running with the other Pack members has become increasingly difficult and worrisome. Without the benefit of prior knowledge or experience, Elena, Clay and Jeremy are cautious and reticent'if news were to spread about her pregnancy, she would become a bigger target than just Clay's mate. When Xavier Reese, a former 'inmate ' from Ty Winsloe's compound of supernatural beings, calls in a favor, Elena jumps at the chance for the distraction. Xavier has been commissioned to find and retrieve the 'From Hell' letter, supposedly one of the last known pieces of evidence and DNA from Jack the Ripper, but he requires Elena's expertise'basically, the werewolves are the only beings who could pass through the sorcerer's 'spell' protecting the document. One problem-the 'From Hell' letter is currently owned by Patrick Shanahan, a sorcerer living in Toronto, and there are many 'beings' looking for the 'letter'.
Once the letter is in their possession, a series of catastrophic events take place in the Canadian city. Witnesses report missing people, zombie-like beings, an outbreak of cholera and typhoid as well as a string of unexplained murders. It is not until the trio learns that part of the curse of the 'From Hell' letter, that whom ever is in possession, must make a 'blood sacrifice' to trigger the release of 'Jack', do they realize they may be responsible for the strange events happening in the city. And the only blood sacrifice that was made'Elena killed a mosquito containing her own blood. Meanwhile, a confused and lost soul exits the portal into the 21st century
With the blood sacrifice, a portal is opened into the otherworld, where zombies exit and people fall victim to its' curse. But while tracking and fighting the zombies, Clay's arm is puncture by one of the 'undead' and without thought of the consequences, he ignores his wounds. Without giving away too much of the plot, zombie scratches can be fatal, and a very sick and ailing Clay has only a couple of options'amputate the arm or die from infection.
When a very pregnant Elena is abducted, they come to realize, that Elena is now the target and no longer the 'letter'. Clay and Elena's children will be the ultimate sacrifice in a game of evil, between the mystery man from the portal and zombies wreaking havoc throughout Toronto.
Once again, Kelley introduces a few new supernatural beings such as Zoe Takana , a female vampire with eyes for Elena, and brings back the characters we love. Nick and Antonio Sorrentino are called to Canada to assist with the hunt for 'Jack the Ripper', and Jaime Vegas, a beautiful clairvoyant and necromancer (and a burr up Clay's backside), aids the werewolves with the eradication and the return of the 'undead' back to their own time.
Broken is one of my favorite Women of the Otherworld storylines. Clay's spiral into a fevered delirium is not without its' scary moments and we watch Elena and Clay become a family with the birth of their child(ren) as we are drawn deeper into the lives of everyone involved. The birthing scene is heart warming and humorous, and you can almost hear the panic in their voices. Paige as their 'long-distance' birthing coach is something that can only be imagined by a writer like Kelley.
Elena is pregnant which, being the worlds only female werewolf, is unheard of and therefore has its complications. Such as the fact that Elena's pregnancy is progressing at an alarming rate and she is being plagued by dreams of miscarriage. In the middle of this however an old acquaintance Xavier (from Stolen) has been in contact and wants their help in stealing the infamous Jack the Ripper letter 'from hell'. Elena, desperate for a break from Claytons overprotectiveness, decides it is an easy enough job. That is until they accidentally open a time capsule and release a mysterious figure. Unfortunately prostitutes start being butchered, people disappear, rats go crazy with typhus and outbreaks of cholera are plaguing the city of Toronto. As much as they would like to ignore the problem, Elena is being stalked by the mysterious, knife wielding figure and they need to get home before not only Elena, but her twin babies are targeted.
I love the new tenderness in Elena and Claytons relationship. After over ten years of not letting herself love the man who turned her into a werewolf, she has finally accepted that her life is the way she wants it and the thought of having everything she ever wanted is almost in reach. Of course because of this, Elena's dream is threatened when she is at risk of losing her babies and Clayton. I also loved how Elena's character has become more fierce and determined to protect those she loves with impending motherhood. The book returns some old favourite characters in Nick, Antonio and Jamie and the plot is interesting, inventive and witty. Love this book!