Men of the Monastery: Dark Promises
High up in the Carpathian Mountains sits a monastery that is both sanctuary and self-imposed prison to ancient Carpathian warriors. These men know they are dangerous. They hope to keep others safe and prolong their existence by remaining within the walls of the monastery and keeping their darkness at bay. They are men, not of humanity, but of honor; not of this world, but of one long gone. The ways of the world are not known to them. Their savageness, needed to protect the world from evil vampires, is now their downfall. Who could love them, even if a lifemate was found? Who could overcome their savage nature, understand their break from humanity, accept their darkness enough to bring them into the light?
I created the monastery and the Carpathian warriors in it because I thought it would offer a unique hero, or heroes, to the Carpathian world. These are men who never served the new Prince. We don't know how old they are and how they felt about Mikhail's father. All we know is that they served as warriors who fought evil and kept us safe. They gave of themselves knowing it could kill them. Knowing they could be sacrificing their chance at finding a lifemate. And to ensure they remain honorable now that they have slipped into such darkness they are nearly savage, they shut themselves away to protect those around them.
I know there will be some people who will not care for the monastery Carpathians. They are too savage, too primal and lack even empathy. They feel nothing. They go entirely on instinct and what they remember of feelings. And therein lies the opportunity for me to create amazing heroines. The women who become lifemates to these men will have to have great courage and selflessness. They will need to be strong in ways they never imagined.
Dark Promises gives us a look at some of these men. We get a chance to look within the walls of the monastery. We have an opportunity to see the struggles of these men and just how far outside humanity they have come.
Who will save these men? Who would care for such savage warriors? Who would give of themselves to bring them back from the darkness. And if they cannot be saved, what should be done with them? It's these questions that I think make the monastery and its inmates so intriguing.
Dark Promises
I created the monastery and the Carpathian warriors in it because I thought it would offer a unique hero, or heroes, to the Carpathian world. These are men who never served the new Prince. We don't know how old they are and how they felt about Mikhail's father. All we know is that they served as warriors who fought evil and kept us safe. They gave of themselves knowing it could kill them. Knowing they could be sacrificing their chance at finding a lifemate. And to ensure they remain honorable now that they have slipped into such darkness they are nearly savage, they shut themselves away to protect those around them.
I know there will be some people who will not care for the monastery Carpathians. They are too savage, too primal and lack even empathy. They feel nothing. They go entirely on instinct and what they remember of feelings. And therein lies the opportunity for me to create amazing heroines. The women who become lifemates to these men will have to have great courage and selflessness. They will need to be strong in ways they never imagined.
Dark Promises gives us a look at some of these men. We get a chance to look within the walls of the monastery. We have an opportunity to see the struggles of these men and just how far outside humanity they have come.
Who will save these men? Who would care for such savage warriors? Who would give of themselves to bring them back from the darkness. And if they cannot be saved, what should be done with them? It's these questions that I think make the monastery and its inmates so intriguing.
Dark Promises
Wendy wrote: "Just what we need!!! Shake things up a wee bit. Never doubt that your heroes will be accepted. It has always been the woman who saves the man. Light to dark. Ying and yang. I can't wait!!!"Right! The light to their dark is has it's always been and I love the opportunity this gives me to really highlight the differences and what makes a lifemate so perfect.
Michelle wrote: "I started reading Dark Promises in the we hours by the time I finished it was 5:30a.m. I was totally intrigued by these monastery Carpathian warriors and I want their adventures to find lifemates t..."Wow Michelle! That's some dedication to reading! I am so glad you enjoyed the book.
Mystipul wrote: "inmates.. makes it sound like a prison:).. maybe members of the monastery is more accurate?.. I can't wait to read this.. I should have it here any day!... A whole new batch of hunky guys that the ..."It is a sort of self-imposed prison which, to me, makes it a little sad that these men of honor knew they would have to have that life, but it was more important to them to keep others safe from them.
Bernadett wrote: "I haven't read dark Promises get, but it promises to be a very good book. Can't wait to see what these dark Carpathians are going to be like. It will take a very special woman to be with these part..."Thank you Bernadett! I hope you enjoy the book. And I always love an adventure!
Jenifer wrote: "JUST picked up my copy at the library. Can't wait to read it!!"I hope you enjoyed it!
Marla wrote: "I'm dying to find a copy"I hope you find one and let me know what you thought!
Diana wrote: "Downloaded the book at a few minutes after midnight. Started reading right away!!! Amazing as always!!!"Diana, I hope you'll let me know what you thought!
Jasmine wrote: "Dark Promise was great can't wait for the next one!!"I am so happy you liked it!
Janet wrote: "Awesome book!! I was pleasantly surprised with the twist in this story. This is a great series!!"Thank you, Janet! I am so glad you enjoyed it and that I was able to surprise you!
Rosalie wrote: "Wow cant wait to meet them and their lifemates these women will be strong and indapendent and amazing to go round with these men of courage"I am really excited about writing these stories and about finding perfect lifemates for them.
Kim wrote: "This book was AWESOME....made me cry Christine. Feel so sad for Gary and hope he has happy ending somewhere along the lines as well as all the ancients from the monastery."So happy you liked it, Kim! It was an emotional book. And of course I wrote romance, so you will always get a happy ending. And one day, that will go for Gary too.
Bernadett wrote: "I'm still waiting on my copy from the library. Can't wait to read it. In the meantime I'm fixin to read Spider Game. Another wonderful book from Christine Feehan. It's the Ghostwalker Series. All o..."Let me know what you think of Spider Game too!
Kristi wrote: "I think that if the boogyman Gregori can be saved then these warriors can be as well. Even though they are far more older and only know there way they still have a chance! Even Zacarias Da La Cruz ..."Where there is love, there is hope! And that's why I love writing romance!
Denise wrote: "Sooo looking forward to the monastery warriors and their lifemates!I have to say the "Dark Series" is my favorite paranormal romance books that I have. And I have everyone of them! I'm still hopin..."
Denise, I am so happy you enjoy the series!
Penny wrote: "Can't wait to read."Let me know what you think when you read it!
Mary wrote: "I just finished reading Dark Promises and I absolutely loved reading about these honorable Carpathians who locked themselves away behind the Monastary walls rather than turn vampire or meet the daw..."Mary, I love the whole idea of these men. I want to give them worthy lifemates for their sacrifice. Love is always the greatest gift.
Kay wrote: "Thank Christine for all of your books there is not a book you have wrote i have not read you are the best writer out there i love every book keep the books coming with all the series of dark, mind ..."Thank you so much, Kay. I really appreciate that you love so many of my series!
Kathryn wrote: "I just finished reading Dark Promises and I cant wait to see how these warriors of Old work out, I loved this book and was hoping after Dark Ghost that Monstary would work it's way into future. I j..."Kathryn, I'm so glad you love the idea of these monastery warriors. I do too! I hope people accept them and want their stories!
Lis E wrote: "Since I read about the Monastary it has been on my mind, there is such a interesting storie in there. My fav is a plane crashing down close by and there are womans on there who can be turned to Car..."So happy they intrigue you so much!
Tiffany wrote: "I read the book in less than 5 hours and was inthralled. It is a great book and look foward to more about these men. The description orlf their eyes drew me in even more. I love it."Tiffany you are a fast reader! So happy you enjoyed it!
Suzi wrote: "One of the reasons I love reading your stories is because you always create such strong, independent heroines. I look forward to reading about the women who are so courageous and strong enough to l..."Suzi, you and I both look forward to the heroines that will save these dark heroes. I'm excited to write about such strong women!
Amanda wrote: "Read the Dark Promise, and FREAKING LOVED IT! Could not put it down the whole time. Please tell me that Gary is going to find his lifemate. I've thought for a while that Gabby wasn't meant for him,..."Amanda, I always knew they wouldn't be lifemates. But, I love Gary, too and he will eventually get his happy ending!
Beckie wrote: "i love this series and am so looking forward to this new side road in the story. I wonder what these men will do when they meet thier lifemates.. Its gonna be wonderful"Beckie, even I wonder what some of these men will do when they meet a very modern, independent lifemate. LOL
Vicki wrote: "I just finished Dark Promises. Loved it. Got it yesterday and finshed it in abt 5 hrs. Can't wait for the next one. Was hooked on your books from Dark Prince. Love the Sisters of the Heart Series. ..."Vicki, I love that you donate books to your library. I am so glad you enjoyed the book.
Roxanne wrote: "Can't wait to meet more men of the monastery. Love the books that Christine Feehan writes."Thank you, Roxanne! And thanks for taking the time to come by the blog. Make writing these blogs so worth it.
Lxsrbnsn9 wrote: "Sounds exciting to me , I feel for the men in the monastery!"Me too! I hope people will be intrigued by them!
Christine wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Read the Dark Promise, and FREAKING LOVED IT! Could not put it down the whole time. Please tell me that Gary is going to find his lifemate. I've thought for a while that Gabby wasn't..."Thank you Christine, I will wait with baited breath for his story to come and continue to love the series. Are you only planning to release one or two books a year or can we expect more books in the near future other than Tarq's tale which by the way I have wondered when his lifemate was going to make her appearance.
I have to agree this does sound very interesting. I hope that the stories enlighten us as to why no one has mentioned the refuge in any of the prior Dark reads. Also how is it that the Prince isn't aware of it?
Virginia wrote: "I have to agree this does sound very interesting. I hope that the stories enlighten us as to why no one has mentioned the refuge in any of the prior Dark reads. Also how is it that the Prince isn't..."Good question. But given that these men are way older and have never served the Prince and possibly not even his father, and have secreted themselves away, it isn't surprising that he doesn't know of them. Isn't the point of them choosing to be there to avoid everything outside there in a last desperate attempt to keep from turning? They don't want to be known. The less contact they have the better, given the knife edge they're clinging to, with their humanity, sanity and souls hanging in the balance. That's my take, at least. :)
I believe there are so many possibilities here...like the idea that some of the lifemates are guaranteed to give birth to daughters and now sons who are lifemates to others waiting...or that there may be other Carpathian, lycan, or leopard women hiding because they're afraid to be claimed. I really wonder are there any other mage women/ children out there? It'd be awesome to find more of the dark mages offspring. As for the Carpathian children , I wonder if the ones with human mothers who were turned struggle to survive because when infants their Carpathian genes aren't fully developed and so they're more human and therefore can't go to ground? I just have so many thoughts and questions? Is Trixie somehow related to Gabrielle which would explain how they're gifts kind of compliment each other? ...Will there ever be another book to let us know what's going on with the all the Carpathians like Dark Celebration did? Were any of the men in the monastery siblings or the family of other characters we've already met? Like a uncle or older brother believed to be dead?????
So far, I've listened to it twice! What a wonderful, wonderful addition to the world of the Carpathian's! Thank you!
Bigbooknut wrote: "Virginia wrote: "I have to agree this does sound very interesting. I hope that the stories enlighten us as to why no one has mentioned the refuge in any of the prior Dark reads. Also how is it that..."In Dark Promises there is mention of Vlad (the previous prince) using his precog to figure out which hunters have non-Carpathian life mates and sending them to hunt vampires away from the mountains. It is implied that the monastery hunters were some of the hunters he sent away.
I'm still waiting on my book Dark Promises. I know it will be worth the wait. I'm still waiting on my copy from the library. Can't wait to see what happens to Gary and those dark Carpathians in the monastery. It promises to be an exciting book and I can't wait to read it. I'll probably read it in one setting. Christine Feehan, you're the best, keep writing, I'm interested in seeing what the sub-series to the storyline!!!
I'm so looking forward reading about them. It sounds wonderful I'm sure it will be gut wrenching.
I just received my book Dark Promises. Can't wait to read it. I'll let you know in my next post how I enjoyed the story. Can't wait to read it!!!
Bernadett wrote: "I just received my book Dark Promises. Can't wait to read it. I'll let you know in my next post how I enjoyed the story. Can't wait to read it!!!"Wait...it came out already???
I was very happy that the Carpathian warriors in the monastery could be helped, and the monastery could...vanish...as it was no longer needed. I just hope that both Gary, and Luiz can be helped and find lifemates soon, as they were such likable characters.
I know a lot of people are worried for Gary. So am I! But keep in mind that I write romance and that means a happily ever after ending. Gary will eventually get his own book and I promise it will be worth the wait.
Thank you much for your message. I promise to keep reading the Dark series.
Great read, I just have one question. When a human is converted, do they come back looking younger or look the same age as when they were human?
Wendy wrote: "Great read, I just have one question. When a human is converted, do they come back looking younger or look the same age as when they were human?"I've always had them look the same, but of course they are in great health, so they look better in that regard. So I guess there are subtle changes, but they look the way they were when converted.
I read the book Dark Promises and it was the most wonderful bookChristine Feehan has written yet!!
I read Dark Promises and it was wonderful!!!
Bernadett wrote: "I read the book Dark Promises and it was the most wonderful bookChristine Feehan has written yet!!"
Thank you Bernadett. I am so happy you loved the book!
I have read everyone of your books, I am currently reading Dark Crime will start Dark Promises shortly ....keep the books coming .....love them.
I keep wondering what would happen if someone...especially a human.... dared to call Gregori a "boogyman" to his face. I'd...almost would like to see what would happen, but I wouldn't stand...too close.
I must confess, I'm the type that ... with my natural cautious nature, I'd be one step forward...ten steps back especially where any of the Carpathian males are concerned. If I'd seen Mikhail and Gregori using their combined power --as they did in one book...I don't remember which-- I'd back up 100 steps...then run away from them.
I hate to say this but I'm the type of person who will confront you and I won't step back!!!
My own fictional self --Tori, that I use in my own writing-- is much bolder than I am in real life. She'd be much more likely to run to her Predator hunters to get to know them and/or donate to them, rather than run from them.
Denise, I am so excited about, not just these dark heroes, but about the challenge of creating the perfect lifemate for them.