Council Assassins Series by Catherine Lievens

Noel has spent the past seventeen years focusing first on his studies, then on his job as a lawyer, but the man he had a one-night stand with never left his mind—or his heart. He doesn’t know what it was about Roark, but he’s never been able to forget him, and he’s stopped trying. Instead, he works with the council to help shifters who can’t afford a lawyer... moreNoel has spent the past seventeen years focusing first on his studies, then on his job as a lawyer, but the man he had a one-night stand with never left his mind—or his heart. He doesn’t know what it was about Roark, but he’s never been able to forget him, and he’s stopped trying. Instead, he works with the council to help shifters who can’t afford a lawyer. When he receives threats that have to do with the murder case he accepted, he calls Kameron Rhett from the council, who then calls the council’s best-hidden secret—the assassins. Roark has been a council assassin since he was freed from the lab he spent years in. It’s the only place he fits in, with the other assassins, the people who share a trait with him—all of them have been genetically modified. Roark hates his ability to manipulate minds, and when he realizes the man he’s supposed to protect is the mate he thought long lost, he tries to get out of it. But Noel is stubborn and headstrong, and he won’t take no for an answer. Between him and Roark’s bear, Roark doesn’t have a choice, and the more time he spends with Noel, the more he falls for him. Will he be able to save his mate from the man after him? And if he does, will he manage to allow himself the happiness he’s been longing for? less

When Beck accepted a job working for the council full-time, he did it to be close to Roark. After so many years apart, he was looking forward to bonding with his best friend again. He gets more than he’d bargained for when he finds his mate as soon as he steps into the house the council assassins live in. Armand went through what all the assassins went through—he was taken from his life and his family, locked in a lab, and experimented on... moreWhen Beck accepted a job working for the council full-time, he did it to be close to Roark. After so many years apart, he was looking forward to bonding with his best friend again. He gets more than he’d bargained for when he finds his mate as soon as he steps into the house the council assassins live in. Armand went through what all the assassins went through—he was taken from his life and his family, locked in a lab, and experimented on. The result is that he can become any person he wants to become. It might be an asset when it comes to his job as a council assassin, but it makes it hard to remember who he is. Beck doesn’t want to push Armand, not when it’s obvious Armand is struggling. But when Armand is sent on a mission and doesn’t come back, Beck lies to the other assassins and tells them he and Armand are bonded to get them to rescue his mate. They save him, but his mission has consequences for a lot of people—including Beck. Will Armand be able to open up to his mate? What will happen when someone shoots Beck, pushing Armand to take care of things by himself? less

Evan’s life is hell—he’s betrayed the trust Win and the other council assassins have in him, and he’s allowed one of his marks to manipulate and blackmail him. He’s not sure how to get out of the situation, or if it’s even possible. He doesn’t have time to deal with the fact that he lives with his mate and that he’s been ignoring Greg for a while. Greg has known Evan is his mate since he arrived at the warehouse... moreEvan’s life is hell—he’s betrayed the trust Win and the other council assassins have in him, and he’s allowed one of his marks to manipulate and blackmail him. He’s not sure how to get out of the situation, or if it’s even possible. He doesn’t have time to deal with the fact that he lives with his mate and that he’s been ignoring Greg for a while. Greg has known Evan is his mate since he arrived at the warehouse. He’s stayed away because he can understand why Evan avoided him while he was still seventeen, but he’s eighteen now, and he at least wants to know if there’s the possibility of a future for them. Greg’s push unravels the lies Evan has been building, and his secret comes to light. Will the other assassins—his family—forgive him for what he’s done? Will Greg? Or will Evan find himself alone against the threat of his blackmailer and the people who are still trying to kill the assassins? less

Win is the council assassins’ handler, and that means he has to keep them safe. That’s not an easy thing to do when there’s a group of people trying to kill them, but Win has done his best, and now they’re down to only six people to eliminate before he can take care of his family. But his obsession with their safety means he doesn’t have time for anything else, and that includes Graham, the assassins’ cook—and his mate... moreWin is the council assassins’ handler, and that means he has to keep them safe. That’s not an easy thing to do when there’s a group of people trying to kill them, but Win has done his best, and now they’re down to only six people to eliminate before he can take care of his family. But his obsession with their safety means he doesn’t have time for anything else, and that includes Graham, the assassins’ cook—and his mate. Graham has suspected there was a bond between him and Win ever since he arrived at the warehouse, but since he’s human, he can’t be sure. He won’t get any answers from Win, who spends more time in his office working than he should. If Graham wasn’t there to make sure he ate and slept, he probably would have collapsed, and that’s the last thing Graham wants. Graham’s opportunity to find out if that bond is really present comes when the council puts Win on a forced vacation. It so happens that Graham is headed home to his parents for two weeks, and somehow, Win ends up going with him. Will that interlude be enough for Graham to get through to Win? Or will Win be unable to forget about the work waiting for him back home and ignore Graham? Will the assassins finally find out what’s really happening with the people trying to kill them? less

Lawrence is one of the council assassins, perhaps the one who ended up with the worst ability—he’s a snake shifter, and he secretes his venom even in his human form. He’s never been able to eliminate it entirely from his saliva and bloodstream, and that means he’s made sure to stay away from sex and hookups as much as possible—until now. When he’s sent to kidnap the son of Gavin White, the man experimenting on shifters, he discovers Griffith is his mate. Griffith is a geneticist... moreLawrence is one of the council assassins, perhaps the one who ended up with the worst ability—he’s a snake shifter, and he secretes his venom even in his human form. He’s never been able to eliminate it entirely from his saliva and bloodstream, and that means he’s made sure to stay away from sex and hookups as much as possible—until now. When he’s sent to kidnap the son of Gavin White, the man experimenting on shifters, he discovers Griffith is his mate. Griffith is a geneticist. He works for a shifter-owned company that tries to help the shifters and humans who were experimented on by the Glass Research Company. When he’s kidnapped by a cute blond who tells him his father is doing the opposite—experimenting on shifters to turn them into war machines—he’s horrified, and he wants to help. Lawrence has no idea what to do with the knowledge that Griffith is his mate. They can’t bond, not with the venom in Lawrence’s saliva, so he decides not to tell Griffith about it. He hasn’t counted on Griffith’s stubbornness, though, and when he has to rush to help his mate, he knows he won’t be able to stay away, even though it would be the right thing to do. less

Sky was human once. Now he’s part demon, and he can’t stop himself from catching fire every time he feels strongly about something. Any emotion will do—fear, shock, arousal. Being freed from the lab he’d spent almost a year in would be a good thing if he could control his new ability, but as it is, he risks setting the warehouse and the council assassins on fire, including his mate... moreSky was human once. Now he’s part demon, and he can’t stop himself from catching fire every time he feels strongly about something. Any emotion will do—fear, shock, arousal. Being freed from the lab he’d spent almost a year in would be a good thing if he could control his new ability, but as it is, he risks setting the warehouse and the council assassins on fire, including his mate. Ulric can’t say he’s happy about his mate’s ability to control fire, but that’s mostly because Sky can’t control it right now. Even though Sky pushes Ulric away, he has help and people who can teach him what to do. The problem is that when it comes to Ulric, Sky doesn’t seem to be able to keep his emotions in check, and that might mean they can never be together. Ulric is ready to do everything he can to help Sky, even if it means getting burned here and there. Sky doesn’t share that opinion, though, and he knows he has to learn control—or let Ulric go. less

Dasha has met his mate, and it’s a disaster. The man was present when the assassins and the enforcers raided the lab, and he was wearing a lab coat. Dasha has been living with the knowledge that the man he’s supposed to spend the rest of his life with is a monster ever since, but it’s eating at him, and he doesn’t know what to do. Oxford was arrested while he was in that lab looking for his brother... moreDasha has met his mate, and it’s a disaster. The man was present when the assassins and the enforcers raided the lab, and he was wearing a lab coat. Dasha has been living with the knowledge that the man he’s supposed to spend the rest of his life with is a monster ever since, but it’s eating at him, and he doesn’t know what to do. Oxford was arrested while he was in that lab looking for his brother. He’s tried to tell the enforcers he had nothing to do with the scientists who worked there, but so far, no one has listened. He managed to escape his cell in the council jail, but he was caught again. And this enforcer finally believes him. When Dasha realizes Ox didn’t have anything to do with the lab, he and the other assassins agree to help him find his brother. They have no idea where to start, though, and they might be too late. less

Cam has been through hell and back. He was kidnapped and torn apart by scientists while the human government turned a blind eye, and he doesn’t think he will ever recover. How could he? Even now that he’s free, his pain and fear keep him captive.Rocco never thought his mate would be one of his patients, but since Cam is related to one of the assassins’ mates, he’s Cam’s doctor first and his mate second, at least for now... moreCam has been through hell and back. He was kidnapped and torn apart by scientists while the human government turned a blind eye, and he doesn’t think he will ever recover. How could he? Even now that he’s free, his pain and fear keep him captive.Rocco never thought his mate would be one of his patients, but since Cam is related to one of the assassins’ mates, he’s Cam’s doctor first and his mate second, at least for now. He wants Cam to start living again, but he understands how hard it is, since he’d been through something similar.Cam carries his fear, while Rocco carries guilt. Neither of them is sure they’ll be able to shed it and make space for love in their life. But when the warehouse where the assassins live is attacked, they’ll have to face their worst fear—and hopefully, win the fight. less

You don’t always have to fight alone.Julian is on the run. He doesn’t know who’s after him, but he knows he’ll have to do something about it. The fact that he’s just met his mate makes everything more complicated, especially since Tali has known for much longer than he has and hasn’t told him.Tali doesn’t want to have to choose between Julian and the council assassins. One is his mate, the other his family... moreYou don’t always have to fight alone.Julian is on the run. He doesn’t know who’s after him, but he knows he’ll have to do something about it. The fact that he’s just met his mate makes everything more complicated, especially since Tali has known for much longer than he has and hasn’t told him.Tali doesn’t want to have to choose between Julian and the council assassins. One is his mate, the other his family. Since Julian’s on the run, Tali knows he’ll end up leaving, and Tali won’t be able to go with him.But maybe Julian doesn’t have to go. Maybe he can accept the assassins’ help and work with them to find out who’s hunting him and do something about it.It’s either that or be killed, and Julian isn’t about to allow that to happen. less

Tony is hiding. He might have managed to escape from the people who were torturing him, but while his body has healed, his mind hasn’t. The memories haunt him, and he can’t trust anyone, not even his dearest friends.How can he trust his mate?Sam didn’t expect to find his mate in the council assassins. He’s always been wary of the profession, even though both his parents and his siblings have made it a family business... moreTony is hiding. He might have managed to escape from the people who were torturing him, but while his body has healed, his mind hasn’t. The memories haunt him, and he can’t trust anyone, not even his dearest friends.How can he trust his mate?Sam didn’t expect to find his mate in the council assassins. He’s always been wary of the profession, even though both his parents and his siblings have made it a family business. He can’t entirely avoid them, though, just like he can’t avoid his mate when he meets him.Tony has no idea how to deal with having Sam in his life when he can’t even allow his mate to come close to him, but thankfully, Sam isn’t easily pushed away. No matter how slow their progress is, he’s not going anywhere. Will Tony be able to heal from the trauma when the people who hurt him are still out there and a threat to him and the people he considers his family? Or will he have to do something radical to make sure he and Sam have a future together? less

What happens when the man you’re fated to be with is a professional assassin?Miles is going after the people who hurt his best friend. He’d thought the shifter world was finally done with labs and doctors who experimented on them, but he was wrong, and he has every intention of fixing that.Preston just wants his best friend back. Jasper was kidnapped, and Preston knows he’s being hurt. He’s lucky Jasper managed to call him and that he’s a decent hacker, but he’s only one man... moreWhat happens when the man you’re fated to be with is a professional assassin?Miles is going after the people who hurt his best friend. He’d thought the shifter world was finally done with labs and doctors who experimented on them, but he was wrong, and he has every intention of fixing that.Preston just wants his best friend back. Jasper was kidnapped, and Preston knows he’s being hurt. He’s lucky Jasper managed to call him and that he’s a decent hacker, but he’s only one man. How is he supposed to break into a government lab and rescue his friend?Things get both more complicated and easier when Miles and Preston meet. Preston is horrified to find out he’s the mate of a professional assassin, but Miles and his friends can give him the help he needs to break into the lab. Miles is ready to do this and much more for Preston, even if Preston decides to leave afterward.Will Preston be able to accept Miles and what he does for Jasper’s sake? And if he can, what happens once Jasper is free? less

Life sometimes takes and sometimes gives.Jasper isn’t human anymore. No one can tell exactly what was done to him by the scientists who captured him, but he’s stronger, faster, and a freaking mess.Frazer is the best person to help Jasper deal with his new reality. He was in Jasper’s place once, and now he’s a council assassin. They’re both human, yet not, and Frazer understands what that’s like... moreLife sometimes takes and sometimes gives.Jasper isn’t human anymore. No one can tell exactly what was done to him by the scientists who captured him, but he’s stronger, faster, and a freaking mess.Frazer is the best person to help Jasper deal with his new reality. He was in Jasper’s place once, and now he’s a council assassin. They’re both human, yet not, and Frazer understands what that’s like. The fact that he’s attracted to Jasper and wants to climb him like a tree doesn’t have anything to do with it.Really, it doesn’t.Jasper has to face the reality of what having shifter DNA means, especially when he realizes there’s a good reason he’s so drawn to Frazer. Wrapping his mind around the fact that they’re mates is the easy part. The hard one is dealing with his new abilities.And with the man calling himself a mutant who’s outing the labs to the country and trying to pull Jasper into a fight he doesn’t want anything to do with. less

Every relationship is different.Seymour has complicated feelings about finding his mate. His parents taught him that when he did, he’d have to quit his job and focus entirely on their bond, and he’s not ready to do that. He worked too hard to get where he is, and he plans to finish training to become a council assassin.Jimmy’s tired of being a council enforcer. Being sent on missions means he wasn’t there when his brother needed him, but he plans on changing that... moreEvery relationship is different.Seymour has complicated feelings about finding his mate. His parents taught him that when he did, he’d have to quit his job and focus entirely on their bond, and he’s not ready to do that. He worked too hard to get where he is, and he plans to finish training to become a council assassin.Jimmy’s tired of being a council enforcer. Being sent on missions means he wasn’t there when his brother needed him, but he plans on changing that.When Jimmy and Seymour meet, Jimmy’s glad he got ahead and asked to be transferred. Seymour isn’t sure what to think of Jimmy, but he’s Wallace’s brother, so Seymour needs to give him a chance.But he’s not quitting his job.Seymour has to face his parents’ antiquated view of mates, but Jimmy has a more complicated problem—his father. Wallace Senior isn’t happy with Jimmy’s decision, and when he’s not happy, no one is. Jimmy and Seymour will have to fight for what they want.But will they get it? less

Twins are double the trouble.Kennedy’s life is about to change, and not in the way he expects. His job for the council is technically over now that the future council assassins are ready. He hopes for another council job at the same facility, but that hope becomes a necessity when he meets his mate.Lewis runs the first time he sees Kennedy. He’s a Nix, so he knows Kennedy is his mate on sight, but it’s complicated... moreTwins are double the trouble.Kennedy’s life is about to change, and not in the way he expects. His job for the council is technically over now that the future council assassins are ready. He hopes for another council job at the same facility, but that hope becomes a necessity when he meets his mate.Lewis runs the first time he sees Kennedy. He’s a Nix, so he knows Kennedy is his mate on sight, but it’s complicated. He’s afraid of what his parents will say and what they’ll expect of him, but not enough to give up on his mate. He’s just hesitant, which he thinks is justified.Kennedy is sure he and Lewis can make things work, even with Wallace and Jimmy’s father pushing his way into their lives when he doesn’t realize that Lewis is Seymour’s twin and accuses him of cheating on Jimmy with Kennedy.He just hopes Lewis feels the same. less

Sometimes love can save your life—literally.Orlando trained to be an assassin, but when confronted with the reality of what it meant, he left the council. Now, he’s jobless and directionless, and he doesn’t know where to start building himself a new life.Saving his human mate from a fellow trainee assassin isn’t what he had in mind.Liam loves his cat and plants, and he has no idea why a woman he’s never seen before would want to kill him, but he’s relieved when Orlando steps in to save him... moreSometimes love can save your life—literally.Orlando trained to be an assassin, but when confronted with the reality of what it meant, he left the council. Now, he’s jobless and directionless, and he doesn’t know where to start building himself a new life.Saving his human mate from a fellow trainee assassin isn’t what he had in mind.Liam loves his cat and plants, and he has no idea why a woman he’s never seen before would want to kill him, but he’s relieved when Orlando steps in to save him. He doesn’t know what to think when Orlando clearly knows the woman—or when he announces that Liam is his mate.Both Liam and Orlando are sure that the council made a mistake, but until they look into it, Liam has to go into hiding. What better place than his mate’s apartment? The problem is that Liam doesn’t know if he can accept the fact that Orlando almost became an assassin himself. Unfortunately for both of them, Liam might never get the chance to find out. less