Welcome to the Lover Unbound Discussion! A few weeks ago we started the Black Dagger Brotherhood Read-a-long and today we’re focusing on a brother that I started out really liking, having such high hopes for his story, and ended up sort of feeling so-so about, Vishous.
While we see many of the Brothers in Lover Unbound, for today’s discussion, we are only focusing on those events within Lover Unbound and any characters that impact this story. Many of us have read ahead in the series, but no spoilers please.
Here is the read-a-long schedule:
Dark Lover is now posted here at Dark Faerie Tales
Lover Eternal is now posted over at Literary Escapism
Lover Awakened is now posted here at Dark Faerie Tales
Lover Revealed is now posted over at Literary Escapism
Lover Unbound is now posted here at Dark Faerie Tales
Feb 24th – Lover Enshrined – Discussion hosted by Literary Escapism
Mar 9th – Lover Avenged – Discussion hosted by Dark Faerie Tales
Mar 16th – Lover Mine – Discussion hosted by Literary Escapism
Mar 23rd – Lover Unleashed – Discussion hosted by Dark Faerie Tales
Mar 30th – Lover Reborn – Discussion hosted by Literary Escapism
Note: Direct quotes from the book are in italics.
The Brotherhood & Vampire Society
The war has taken a turn in favor of the vampires. Butch’s power is decimating the Omega’s ranks and is giving hope to those that long for an end to the fighting. Tensions between the Brotherhood and Havers, the vampire doctor, is making it complicated for the males to get proper medical treatment. There is a growing dissension between those that would see traditions maintained, and those who look to change it, for the continuation of the vampire community as a whole.
Vishous
Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, is one of the more darker members of the brotherhood. His feelings toward his best friend, Butch, have taken him to a crossroads. He can no longer sit and watch Butch and his female, Marissa, be blissfully happy and not feel the knife turn in his heart. The truth had kept him mercifully awake: V was attached to his roommate in ways that complicated things and yet changed nothing at all.
If that wasn’t enough to deal with, Vishous learns that his mother also happens to be the mother of his race; The Scribe Virgin. A god to his people and the reason for his unusual gifts. She springs this on him at the same time as demanding that he become the next Primale of the Chosen, one of the Brotherhood that will mate with chosen females of the Scribe Virgin to create the next generation of warriors. ”Wait, wait… So you’re going to do, like, IVF?” [Butch] V dragged a hand through his hair and thought how good it would feel to put his fist through the wall. “It’s a little more hands-on than that.”
While he spends his last days with the BDB, Vishous gets shot and taken to a human hospital where he meets Jane. Jane called out the heart-failure protocol and leaned down to the patient. “Don’t even think about it ,” she snapped. “You die on me and I’m going to be really ticked off.”
Jane
Dr. Jane Whitcomb meets Vishous for the first time while he’s bleeding out from a gunshot wound on her operating table. She ends up being kidnapped by the Brothers in order for her to continue to keep Vishious stable, both physically and mentally. There was a moment of silence. And then in a rough voice, the man whose life she saved spoke four words that changed everything… changed her life, changed her destiny: “She. Comes. With. Me.” [V to Rhage, Phury, and Butch]
Her entrance into their world is first forced. She’s kept prisoner in the BDB mansion; secluded with her sole patient. After a time, the relationship between Vishous and herself bloom into something beyond doctor/ patient and into more man/ woman territory. He so totally loved her. “You would have made a fine warrior, you know that?” / “I am one. Death is my enemy.” / “Yeah it is, isn’t it?” God, it made such sense that he’d bonded with her. She was a fighter… like him. “Your scalpel’s your dagger.” / “Yep.”
Jane stands up to Vishous, which only succeeds in bringing out the dominate tendencies in him. V settled back against the pillows and measured the hard line of her chin. “Take off your coat.” / “Excuse me?” / “Take it off.” / “No.” / “I want it off.” / “Then I suggest you hold your breath. Won’t affect me in the slightest , but at least the suffocation will help you pass the time for you.” / His arousal pounded. Oh, shit, he needed to teach her that disobedience carried a price, and what a session that would be. She’d fight him tooth and nail before she submitted. If she submitted at all. [V to Jane]
Dr. Manuel Manello
Manny is chief of surgery at St. Francis Medical Center and Jane’s boss. He also has an interest in Jane that goes past professional. His escape planning came to a crashing halt as his instincts fired up, took the wheel, grabbed control. / It wasn’t the fighter in him coming out, though. It was all those possessive male impulses that had always been dormant, the ones he’d read about or heard about or seen with others, but had assumed he’d been born without. The trigger was a scent in the room, the scent of a male who wanted sex… with a female, with V’s surgeon. / Mine. [Vishous while in the hospital]
John Matthew
John Matthew finally goes through the transition, a super growth spurt that’s a young vampire’s version of puberty.
When John woke up, the first thought that went through his mind was that he wanted a hot-fudge sundae with bacon bits on top. Which was just nasty, really. / Except, damn … chocolate and bacon would be heaven right about now.
Xhex
Xhex, introduced in over Revealed, is the head of security at ZeroSum, a nightclub and local hangout for the Brothers. John Matthew is drawn to her from the first. Her walk was one of power and confidence, like she was stalking prey, and men who weighed more than her got out of her way quick as mice.
The Scribe Virgin
As the creator of the vampire race, the Scribe Virgin acts as their deity. Her one shot at creating life wasn’t enough to satisfy her needs. She wished to bring forth life from her own body. Creating a body and selecting a father turned out to be a bad idea. The male she chose, having desirable traits like strength and cunning, was a cruel and ruthless leader. They bargained for the life of Vishous and what his role would be in the future. Having reached our accord, he forced me beneath him for hours, until the form I was in nearly died from it. He was possessed by the need to conceive, and I endured him because I was the same. [The Scribe Virgin to Vishous]
In the end, like all good parents, the Scribe Virgin gives Vishous his freedom to choose his own fate instead of dictating one for him. “I renounce you as my son. You are free of me and I of you. Live well, warrior.” [Scribe Virgin to Vishous]
She does not reveal to Vishous that he has a twin, Payne.
Payne
Payne is briefly introduced in Lover Unbound. No one but the Scribe Virgin knows of her and she remains in stasis in the other realm, where the Chosen and Scribe Virgin live.
The Scribe Virgin stared at her daughter’s face. Payne was not like other females, hadn’t been since birth. She had her father’s warrior instinct and urge for battle and was no more content to dally with the Chosen than a lion could be caged satisfactorily with mice. [Scribe Virgin]
Phury
Phury is continually plagued by his desires for his twin’s shellan, Bella, and realizes that something needs to change.
In the end, Phury agrees to become the Primale in Vishous’ place.
Lessening Society
Lessers
The lessers, as a whole, are in disarray. The emergence of Butch and his ability to grant them true death have left them, for the most part, struggling toward retreating and regrouping.
Discussion
What did you think of Vishous?
What did you think of Jane? Do you think she’s a good match for Vishous? Can she hold her own with other shellans?
Do you believe in Vishous’ and Jane’s relationship? Think it will last?
What do you think Vishous’ sexual practices? The Bloodletter’s punishments and practices?
Is Vishous a product of nature or nurture?
What do you think of change in dynamics between Butch and Vishous?
What is your guess for John Matthew’s future in the brotherhood?
The Scribe Virgin believes that the bad things that happen to Vishous are because of her choice to break the rules and giving birth to him and his twin. Do you think she’s right?
Favorite scene? Least?
Favorite one-liner?
Who was your favorite character in Lover Unbound?
Glossary of Terms and Proper Nouns
Vocabulary from the previous novels can be found on their discussion pages:
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Dark Lover is now posted over at Dark Faerie Tales
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Lover Eternal is now posted here at Literary Escapism
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Lover Awakened is now posted over at Dark Faerie Tales
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Lover Revealed is now posted over at Literary Escapism
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Lover Unbound is now posted over at Dark Faerie Tales
attendhente (n.) Chosen who serves the Scribe Virgin in particularly close manner.
ehors (n.) A Chosen trained in the matter of sexual arts.
leahdyre l(n.) A person of power and influence.
lheage (n.) A term of respect used by a sexual submissive to refer to his or her dominant.
transition (n.) Critical moment in a vampire’s life when he or she transforms into an adult. Thereafter, they must drink the blood of the opposite sex and are unable to withstand sunlight. Occurs generally in the mid-twenties. Some vampires do not survive their transition, males in particular. Prior to their transitions, vampires are physically weak, sexually unaware and unresponsive, and unable to dematerialize.
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