A dangerous blood bargain.
A deadly supernatural gift.
One impossible choice.
“If I have to choose…I’ll take the kind of monster all the others fear.”
On the anniversary of her mother's death, Lily visits a downtown tattoo parlor in search of memorial ink, but the moment the brooding artist touches her, something awakens: a supernatural gift that lets her hear the dead. But in Austin’s vampire underworld, that ‘gift’ either makes her a powerful weapon to be wielded, or a dangerous threat to be eliminated.
Tattoo artist Cassini is a powerful vampire in exile, hiding his true identity and bound by a blood oath that weakens him with every sunrise. With his enemies closing in, Lily's rare power could be his salvation or her destruction.
When a local girl goes missing, they're forced into an alliance that blurs every line between ally and predator. But the closer they become, the more Cassini fears the truth: he may not be able to protect her from the darkness hunting them both.
Or from himself…
“My father cut her throat and forced me to watch. Afterwards, he dismissed me with a promise—every woman I dared to love would meet the same fate until I agreed to marry his choice."
“I’ve always been a “sucker” for a vampire romance and this book did it for me. Filled with spice, action, humour and mystery.” Goodreads Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Absolutely brilliant read! Perfect combo of spice, action, humour and vampires! May has written this beautifully, I was absolutely captivated from page 1 and can’t wait to find out what happens next to Cas and Lily.” Goodreads Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It's a phenomenal debut book for May Maddox. Am I a newly sucker for dual pov? Yes, I am. Am I a sucker for vampire spicy romance? Yes, yes, yes I am. Ms. May has captured this world in a way that I haven't experienced before, and I'm all in and here for it. Ms. May's writing is unmatched.” Goodreads Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Explicit sexual content
Violence and blood (vampire fights, feeding)
Grief and parental death (processed on-page)
Addiction and substance abuse depictions
Human trafficking themes
Power dynamics and supernatural compulsion
Suicidal ideation
Family trauma and rejection
Stalking behavior
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Morally gray male lead
Fated mates
Dangerous supernatural world
Heroine in peril
Secrets and betrayal
Redemption arc
Touch her and die
Forbidden love (vampire/human)
Psychic bond/telepathic connection
The Inked & Bloodbound official playlist is on Spotify
Unfortunately I do need a playlist to write to and this one got me through it all. To say I basically wrote this book to The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails is an understatement but some other stuff managed to sneak in too!
I think this playlist encapsulates how the book ‘feels’ to me which is hopefully sexy, dark and filled with yearning.
There’s also a shorter playlist for Cassini, and of course because he’s a bit emo there’s some Radiohead on it.
