"Wounded"
by
Laurell K. Hamilton
It is part of the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #24.5 series and is a paranormal fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by InterMix on December 6, 2016 and has 64 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Hit List, Bloody Bones, Killing Dance, Burnt Offerings, Narcissus in Chains, Obsidian Butterfly, Bite, Incubus Dreams, Micah, Danse Macabre, The Harlequin, Blood Noir, Skin Trade, Flirt, Bullet, Never After, Kiss the Dead, The First Death, Affliction, Guilty Pleasures, The Laughing Corpse, Circus of the Damned, "Shutdown", A Kiss of Shadows, Lunatic Café, A Caress of Twilight, Seduced by Moonlight, A Stroke of Midnight, Mistral’s Kiss, A Lick of Frost, Blue Moon, Dead Ice, Jason, Crimson Death, Serpentine, Fantastic Hope, Cerulean Sins, A Terrible Fall of Angels, Slay, Swallowing Darkness
A short story, 24.5 in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter paranormal fantasy series, revolving around US Marshal Anita Blake in St Louis, Missouri. The focus is on Tomas, on not being a victim.
My Take
This was an unexpected visit with Anita, Micah, and Nathaniel at Consuela’s wedding. The point of it is Micah breaking through with Tomas regarding the kidnapping and shooting in Dead Ice, 24.
Hamilton works it, using Micah’s, Nathaniel’s, and Anita’s past injuries and traumas to make the point to Tomas that he can sit back and whine or do your physical therapy religiously. Don’t be a victim, don’t let the bad guy win, and beat everyone’s expectations to a better life.
It’s all first person protagonist point-of-view from Anita’s perspective, and it is amazing how much ground Hamilton covers in these few pages, lol. I do wish Hamilton had covered a little more ground and tidied off that encounter with that twit of a mother-in-law. I do so enjoy when Anita goes up against officious people, *more laughter*.
“Sometimes you’re so happy you can’t hold it all in and it spills out your eyes.”
It does sound as if Tomas is quite the Romeo.
The Story
Consuela is enjoying her wedding reception, especially that Tomas was able to be there. If only…if only Tomas would work his PT. To not give up on his life, his future…
The Characters
Manny Rodriguez had been Anita’s mentor in raising the dead and works with her at Animators, Inc. Rosita is his disapproving wife. Consuela, Manny’s daughter, is getting married. Mercedes, a younger daughter, is her maid of honor. Their thirteen-year-old brother, Tomas, switches between the wheelchair and crutches since events in Dead Ice. Rosita has six HUGE brothers: Bambino is one of ’em.
Dr Francisco “Frankie” (he specializes in sports medicine with an emphasis on rehabilitation after injuries) is living with Mercedes who has a degree in nutrition; they also work together.
Anita Blake, US Marshal, necromancer, and official fiancé to Jean-Claude, the Master of St Louis and the king of American vampires. Nathaniel Graison, a wereleopard who strips at Guilty Pleasures, is Anita’s leopard-to-call and one-third of their triumvirate. Micah Callahan is also a leopard shifter and the head of the Coalition for Better Understanding Between Human and Lycanthrope Communities. He and Nathaniel are Anita’s primary sweeties.
Mrs Conroy is Consuela’s new mother-in-law, and does she ever have her issues!
The Title
The title is a look at the “Wounded”, from Anita to Micah, Nathaniel, and Tomas.
