Short, Lethal and Claimed

Forget everything that you thought you knew about vampires…

From NY Times Bestselling Author R.L. Mathewson comes the eighth installment in the incredibly sexy paranormal romance series that breaks all the rules.

For the past eight hundred years, Logan has been focused on one thing.

Revenge.

Nothing else mattered until one night when a small woman with the bluest eyes that he’d ever seen took him by surprise with a well-placed dagger. Now, the only thing he wants is to forget about her, but with every glance, brush of her fingertips, and touch, Logan finds himself wanting the one thing that he couldn’t have.

One. More. Bite.

After spending a year in a Sentinel compound thanks to the devastatingly handsome vampire that destroyed her life, Jill Williams is determined to forget about all of those things that go bump in the night, but one moment changes everything.

Now, she’s facing a future that she never wanted with a cranky vampire that has no idea just how close he was to finally getting his revenge.

It’s time to lose yourself in a paranormal romance filled with revenge, an unwanted mate, and a vampire determined to do whatever it takes to get what he wants.

The best part about reading an R.L. Mathewson book is that you want to start reading the whole series over again!!! The character development and continuation of the series through each story make you love the characters even more. You will not be disappointed in this next addition to the Pyte/Sentinel series. I refuse to spoil the book but will admit that I laughed, cried, and loved reading this book.

-RRR

This book was absolutely perfect. Exactly what I was hoping Jill and Logan’s story would be. The backstory for both of these characters were tragic and to find out even more was utterly heartbreaking. Keep tissues handy, this story will make even the hardest people break
I devoured this in less than 12 hours reading any free time I had, it was just that amazing.

-ZeeZee

R.L. Mathewson’s books never disappoint!!!! I truly loved Logan and Jill’s story. I also love how she weaves parts of other characters stories into each book. She is able to make you run the whole spectrum of emotions from sadness to laughter with each book she writes.

-Megan

Absolutely loved how you brought them back together. You totally made Logan a good guy. I had my doubts, but you did it. However, you are evil for making us wait to find out what Joshua is up to.

-Danburrito

Absolutely looooved this book. Probably my favorite in the series. Jill and Logan are my favorite couple for sure. Been waiting so long for their story, I’m so happy it finally happened.

-Raeejaee

All of R. L. Mathewson’s books are very good! This one did not disappoint, just as good as all the others. Loved Jill and Logan’s story. You will too!!

-L. Casey

I don’t even know where to begin, there was a lot that happened in this book! At the center of it all is Jill and Logan, who they are, how they ended up the way they are now and were before, and what do they do about their current situation. It was heartbreaking at points, and there were moments of pure joy and happiness. The emotions flowed from all the characters, straight into your heart, and I loved the edge that both Logan and Jill maintained in all things. This was a most definite ‘couldn’t put it down’ read, and I stayed up way too late to finish it, as I couldn’t stop, and I loved every single second <3

-Dar

I absolutely loved it. I feel like I’ve been waiting for their story forever and RL Mathewson did them right I loved Logan and Jill even more. My heart broke for Jill and everything that she had to go through. This is a must read.

-Karen E. Gardea

Ok this series is my dark/light humour happy place – I don’t think I’ve ever smiled and smirked and bookloved as much as I did while reading this.
Characterization in the book voice allows complex and sensitive painful soul destroying scenes be aired and exposed.
In all that paranormal brevity the climb to hope is something to believe, tangible and credible with every lil tea cup drunk ( long term readers will understand David & Goliath strength of the littles in these reads)- even when months and years of mistreatment & manipulation has eroded the character to the point of darkness.
Couple of plot twists got me good and kept book 8 going strong with its own heartbeat.
I wasn’t sure at first what Logan’s game plan was I really enjoyed we got to see him change focus on what really matters right now – and maybe face the lies of the past .
I thought it was really clever how Jill developed in this book- when you read you’ll get what I mean – I don’t think any PNR has been written with a fresh take on a characters supernatural evolution that’s believable, as it is unique.
I get serious withdrawals when I finished these books. I do find it even more addictive when Kale turns up.
everything familiar is still there. I love this world.
There was an addictive chemistry with this couple Logan & Jill – I loved when they stopped dancing round what it was between them.
-Jasmin E Reads

Another amazing read. Loving the pyte/sentinel series, was not expecting such a beautiful written love story but she gets better with every book she writes. I am always amazed how I quickly fall into her stories and forget about life.

-Caz

I love this world created by R.L. Mathewson. Logan’s story was so worth the wait. Beautifully written with amazing characters!

-A. Blanton

Omg it was great the romance, fighting, the teasing, who knew I would love kissy to. Glad they had there happy ending. Read this now to start the books over enjoy the time with each other again.

-Mike Bourne

Loved this book, if you’ve read the series, then you’ve definitely been wanting Jill and Logans story and it didn’t disappoint be prepared for some dark secrets to come out and for the vengeful vampire to come to some realizations, no spoilers from me but definitely a book worth waiting for

-Amazon Customer

Absolutely loved this book. I am sure everyone is in love with Logan now. It was a beautiful story. Can’t wait to read what comes next in this series.

-Amazon Customer

A good story from a fantastic series with interesting characters and great writing. Enjoy reading it everyone. Can’t wait for the next one.

-Navya

As always expected: pure excellence. I love this author and all of her series. I devoured this in no time and now as always it left me waiting for the next.

-Amazon Customer

Well, Logan and Jill were absolutely worth the wait. Logan showed the beautiful, vulnerable side to him that I knew was hidden. Jill’s character really grew especially from book one where she was a horrid teenager.
We meet Shane, Caleb and Emma, marked shifter kids who steal the hearts of Logan and Jill, and are adorable, cute and funny however Shane is a teenager full of angst and mistrust.
Through this story we learn so much of what shaped Logan and Jill into the people they became and how their relationship allowed them to grow together.
As always we catch up with the Williams family which was emotional and a long time coming for forgiveness.
Humour in this book is on point as always and can’t wait for what comes next.

-Laura Rose

Now, it is important that you’ve read the previous books in the series. Large parts only make sense if you understand all the intertwined story lines and the fantasy world the books are set in.
Finally, one of two having characters have been wrapped up! Totally worth the wait and I wish I could read this story new all over again. I was engaged the entire time and never wanted the end to come but at least now, we all know Jill’s ending! So, so thrilled that she actually got what she deserved and wanted. And Logan’s redemption was masterful!
If you love fantasy and sci-fi, this series is definitely worth the read. Start at the beginning and don’t forget to eat and sleep as you work tour way through. And now we wait for next one!

-R. Morris

This book has it all. The glaring hero that never wanted to be the hero. All Logan wanted was revenge and he spent over 800 years planning, searching and waiting. Then there’s Jill, all she wanted to do was forget the memories from her childhood. Logan was the character that you wanted to hate from the moment he was introduced but after this you just can’t. These books are my go to stories when I want all the feels.

-Tammy Adams

This is a wonderful addition to the Pyte Sentinel series. I loved how strong the characters are and the buildup of plot. R.I takes you on an adventure with her imagination and story lines. Jill and Logan’s story is filled with great comebacks and learning about relationships but more than that, it’s about learning to love and trust. Great job writing this book.

-Lottie

Book 8 in series
Series: Pyte/Sentinel Series
Genre: Paranormal, Suspense Romance
Type: eBook
Language: English
ISBN: 979-8-9850332-9-8
Length: 128,000 Words
Cover Credit: Cover Me Darling
Release Date: December 9, 2024

Print Excerpt

It was just a dream.

It was just a…

Dream, Jill told herself as she sat up, struggling to catch her breath as her hands fisted in the sheets and…

It was just a dream, she repeated to herself as she closed her eyes and slowly exhaled. She was fine. She was safe and she…was not in her cell, Jill realized, the silk sheets in her hands slowly slipped free as she opened her eyes and took in the large, unfamiliar bedroom. The island? It had to be, Jill told herself as she pushed the covers aside and moved to climb off the bed when she felt it, cold metal wrapped around her ankle.

Definitely had to be the island, Jill told herself even though she knew that the Council wouldn’t bother using chains on her. Not if she was really on the island. There wouldn’t be anywhere for her to go, Jill thought, licking her lips as she glanced around the room and-

“Good morning, Princess.”

Definitely not a dream, Jill realized as she found herself staring at the man that she should have staked when she had the chance.

“What are you doing?” Logan drawled, already sounding bored with this conversation.

“Planning my escape,” Jill murmured absently as she took in the metal cuff wrapped around her ankle before she moved her attention to the chain attached to it, taking in the way that it pooled on the floor beneath her feet before it ran along the length of the bed where it disappeared around the corner.

“Shouldn’t you lie to me and do everything within your power to try to persuade me into letting you go?” Logan asked as she shook off the last tendrils of the dream that she couldn’t quite remember but left her feeling…off and focused on the problem at hand.

Getting the hell out of here before it was too late.

“I really don’t see the point in lying, do you?” Jill said as her gaze flickered to the incredibly handsome vampire sitting in the large leather chair across the room, watching her through silver eyes that she’d once found captivating before taking in the rest of the large bedroom, noting everything from the floor-to-ceiling windows completely covered by black shades to the fact that there didn’t seem to be a lock on the bedroom door.

“You’re not going to pin all of your hopes and dreams on your father and brother coming to rescue you?” Logan murmured as she once again found herself wondering how she could have ever been stupid enough to fall for his bullshit, only to remember the reason why and-

She was done letting old memories ruin her life.

“If they knew where I was, you’d already be dead,” Jill pointed out, hating the way that her body reacted to the sound of his soft chuckle.

There was something seriously wrong with her, Jill thought, biting back a sigh as she moved to stand up only to end up grabbing onto the bed when her legs gave out on her, forcing her to close her eyes when her head began spinning. As she struggled to breathe through the nausea suddenly assaulting her, she realized something important.

She was an idiot.

“How?” Jill asked, wondering how he’d managed to have her drugged inside a Sentinel Compound.

“You’re going to have to be more specific, Angel,” Logan said, using the endearment that reminded her of just how pathetic she really was.

It was the reminder that she needed to get her to focus. Slowly exhaling, Jill opened her eyes to find him watching her closely before she shifted her attention back to that bedroom door, wondering how she was going to get past all the guards that he most likely had stationed outside that door. Then again, she should probably figure out how she was going to get past him first.

“What did they give me?” Jill asked, slowly exhaling as she moved to stand up again.

“You think you were drugged?” Logan asked, sounding curious as her grip tightened around the edge of the mattress while she waited for her legs to stop threatening to drop her on her ass and-

She’d refused to eat anything before they’d transferred her, terrified that they were going to drug her to keep her sedated and take away her only chance to escape, Jill thought as she struggled to make sense of what was happening.

She remembered the night before when they told her that she was being sent to a Sentinel island in the morning.

She remembered pacing her cell all night.

She remembered the moment that she finally accepted the fact that she was on her own.

She remembered the large men dragging her out of her cell and down the long tunnel while she’d begged them for a chance even as she prepared herself to do whatever it took to escape, knowing that if she let them drag her off to that island that there would be no coming back.

And she remembered the moment they shoved the thick steel door at the end of the tunnel open and the flash of pain that exploded in her chest that followed and then…

Nothing.

Having a pretty good idea what happened, Jill ignored the large man watching her and forced herself to move, using her hold on the bed as she struggled to get her legs to cooperate. As soon as she reached the foot of the bed, Jill slowly exhaled as she released her hold and willed her trembling legs to take her across the room to the large bathroom so that she could look for the injection site for whatever drug they gave her in private only to fall to her knees with a pained gasp.

“What did they inject me with?” Jill asked, slowly exhaling as she closed her hands into fists against the soft carpet while she struggled not to panic. Whatever they gave her was still in her system, Jill realized as she closed her eyes and swallowed hard, praying that it wasn’t about to knock her out again.

“Nothing,” came the absently murmured response that had her shaking her head in disgust because she should have known better. He really was an asshole, Jill thought as she took a deep breath and opened her eyes only to close them again on a wince when the move caused pain to shoot through her suddenly sensitive eyes.

“How long have I been here?” Jill asked, deciding that it was in her best interest to find out everything that she could about her new prison.

“A month.”

“And where are we exactly?” Jill asked as she thought about his answer. They’d kept her drugged for a month, which meant that it was probably going to take a few days before whatever they gave her made its way out of her system. That wasn’t going to work for her. She needed to get out of here before they had a chance to drug her again.

“Manhattan,” Logan murmured as she moved to stand up, only to quickly decide against it when her legs refused to cooperate and resigned herself to crawling across the bedroom floor, no doubt entertaining the asshole determined to make her life a living hell.

She-

“Any other questions?” Logan asked as he picked her up, causing her chain to rattle softly as he carried her back to the bed.

“Which one worked for you?” Jill asked as she was forced to turn her head and bury her face against his chest when a fresh wave of nausea had her stomach turning.

“It would probably help if I knew what you were talking about,” Logan said as he placed her down on the edge of the large bed.

“The demon or the shifter,” Jill said, fisting her hands around his shirt to stop him from moving as she sat there, keeping her forehead pressed against his chest as she willed her head to stop spinning.

“What about them?” Logan asked, thankfully staying where he was while she slowly exhaled.

“Which one of them was yours?” Jill asked even as she couldn’t help but wonder how he’d managed to get to them without the Council finding out.

The Sentinels didn’t trust easily, and those that they allowed within their fold were watched closely. For a Master, especially one on their most wanted list, to get to one of their men without the Sentinels finding out would have taken a miracle or someone determined to do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

“Neither one of them worked for me.”

“You expect me to believe that?” Jill asked as she slowly exhaled, wondering why she was getting worse.

“No,” Logan murmured softly as he stepped back and cupped her face in his hands when her head dropped forward and sitting up suddenly became impossible.

“What’s wrong with me?” Jill managed to get out on a weak mumble as her head spun faster.

“You’re not finished yet,” Logan explained as a numbing sensation slowly spread over her body.

“Finished what?” Jill asked in a daze as she found herself falling onto her side and looking into silver eyes brighter than she’d ever seen them before.

“Dying.”

New York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.

Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school, she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.

Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.

In 2019/2020, R.L. Mathewson will be publishing Devastated, the first Anger Management novel, Tall, Dark & Furious, the 6th installment to the Pyte/Sentinel series, Irresistible, the long anticipated novel for the Neighbor from Hell Series as well as many more books throughout the year, paranormals, contemporaries, and YAs.

Subscribe to the Newsletter