Black Dagger Brotherhood

I had read that on the WARDen's forum as well... the idea is absolutely thrilling! Could I handle another addiction... when it comes to the Brothers, I think so!!

BTW - Jen, what is your handle in the WARDen's forum? Same for me there as here.

It is the same as on here.

Only1JenB wrote:It is the same as on here.

I'll keep an eye out, then!!

Butch O’Neal, aka The Dhestroyer

Butch is a “Dirty Harry” type of detective with the Caldwell Police Department in upstate New York. Originally from Boston, he has a reputation on the force as a hard living, hard core enforcer with ruthless interrogation tactics. He is a warrior by nature, and has the battle scars to prove it – a nose broken several times over and a chipped front tooth. In his late thirties, he has rugged good looks, dark brown hair and hazel eyes, and he is a loner.

Butch’s hard core police tactics make him an outsider on the force, but he is also an outsider in his own family. He is viewed as the black sheep. Estranged from them for years, he is tormented by the memory of his sister’s abduction and subsequent murder. Butch blames himself for her death, even though he was only a helpless child when he watched her abductors drive away with her. He was tormented his entire life because he had been unable to stop her assailants and rescue her from death. As a child he was hated and abused by his father, and they all, with the exception of his mother, believed he wanted his sister dead as an act of revenge against his father.

The self-hatred Butch feels has prevented him from forming an emotional attachment to people. He is clearly on the road to self-destruction and will suffer an early death if he does not change his hard living life. The problem is, that just doesn’t matter too much to him. Though not exactly suicidal, he just doesn’t have too many reasons to live.

There is something else you should know about Butch. He is a dyed in the wool Red Sox fan, and that simple little quirk might well save him from a certain death.

Dark Lover

Butch O’Neal’s story actually begins in Book 1 of the series, Dark Lover, with the assassination of the Brother Darius, who is killed by a car bomb planted by the Lessening Society, arch enemies of the vampires.

Like most of his colleagues, Butch finds himself attracted to a beautiful, 25 year old budding journalist from the Caldwell Courier Journal. Beth Reynolds frequently visits the precinct to investigate crimes for the newspaper, which is located just down the street. When she is the victim of an attempted rape, he is determined to bring her attacker to justice, but not without first exacting his own brand of justice on the bastard.

Meanwhile, Wrath, head of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and the only surviving pure blood vampire on the planet, has an obligation to fulfill. Darius, a beloved member of the brotherhood, had asked Wrath to assist his half-human, half-vampire daughter through her impending transition to vampire. Wrath initially declines the request, but when Darius is killed in the car bombing he feels obliged to fulfill the Brother’s wishes. Wrath visits Beth Reynolds during the night, and they are instantly attracted to each other and have an unbridled sexual encounter. But Butch is carrying out his own surveillance and suspects Wrath has a connection to the recent car bombing.

Finally, the three come face to face and Wrath and Butch have a confrontation. Beth begs Wrath not to kill Butch and he acquiesces to her demand. Wrath explains everything to Beth, who is naturally incredulous, but she is anxious to learn about the father she never knew. Little did the trio know that their meeting would change the course of each of their lives.

While surveilling Beth’s apartment, Butch finds her on the floor in the throws of her transition. She instructs him to take her to Wrath so he can help her. Wrath takes her in and Butch is met by the other members of the Brotherhood. Though he was certain he was about to die, he mounted a courageous stand, determined to go down fighting. The tension between Vishous and Butch was unexpectedly dissipated when the two realized they were both Red Sox fans. The Brothers had to admire his foolish bravery, but at that point Vishous and Butch form an unlikely connection that would seal their fate and bond them for life. They would become the oddest of odd couples.

Wrath forces Butch to remain in the mansion until Beth recovers from her transition. But a decision would have to be made about Butch. He would pose a potential threat if he were allowed to leave the mansion, but what did he have to go home to anyway? He had been where no humans would dare tread. He knew enough about the Brotherhood now to endanger all their lives if he so chose. Since the Caldwell PD were probably looking for him and Beth, he could not go back to his old life. The Brotherhood could use a good cop on their side in the war with the Lessening Society. His crime scene investigating skills would prove to be an unexpected asset.

A new chapter of his life was beginning. He was about to be adopted by the Brotherhood. He would live with them and they would use his skills. Though as a mere human, he would not be allowed to actually fight alongside them. But, God, how he longed to do just that. After all, he was a warrior by nature.

Lover Revealed

More challenges were on the way for Butch. Butch meets the love of his life, Marissa, who is Wrath’s ex-shellan and a member of the glymera. She is an aristocrat in the vampire hierarchy and he is only human. He is once again tormented by feelings of inadequacy.

Fate rears its ugly head again when Butch is captured and tortured by the lessers. The Omega implants part of himself into Butch, hoping Butch would turn on the Brothers. He was nearly dead when the Brothers found him, but Vishous healed him. They were unaware of Butch’s special talent until they came upon a lesser and watched in disbelief as Butch literally inhaled the essence right out of the thing.

Butch and Marissa have difficulty sorting out their relationship, and the fact that Marissa must to go to Rehvenge or another male vampire for feeding made Butch livid. This only compounded his feelings of inadequacy. Unable to bear the separation from Marissa and the thought of sharing her, he told Vishous he was leaving the Brothers, even though he knew it would mean his death. Vishous knew it too, and he couldn’t bear the thought of having to kill Butch.

Vishous thought Butch had occasionally exhibited characteristics similar to other vampire males and believed it might be possible to resolve the situation in a way that would provide a happy ending for everyone. When Vishous performed a regression on Butch, they found that he was of blood lineage to Wrath. Despite Marissa’s protests, the decision was made to transform Butch into vampire. Permission was given by the Scribe Virgin herself. The transformation was successful, and Butch became vampire, a huge, deadly vampire.

Oddly enough, he was the only one who could withstand V’s glowing touch without burning or bursting into flames. After the transformation it was realized that Butch was more than just vampire. He had fulfilled a prophesy. The prophesy claims that the Dhestroyer will circumvent a lesser’s return to the Omega upon its death, and with each successive lesser death, a chip of the Omega would be lost until there was nothing left. According to the Scribe Virgin:

“Because this is what shall be, the light and the dark together, two halves making a whole… That is why you are not consumed. This is the reason destiny brought you to us, Butch, descended of Wrath son of Wrath. The Dhestroyer has arrived and you are he (Lover Revealed, p. 399).”

The Dhestroyer, Butch, and The Savior, Vishous, were eternally bound together as two halves forming a whole as long as they both lived. Butch has a piece of the Omega within him, and the blood of the Scribe Virgin flows through the veins of Vishous. A perfect, deadly balance of good and evil.

After seeing the good Butch could do for the Brotherhood and their race and having been given encouragement from Beth, Bella, and Mary, Marissa finally accepts Butch’s destiny, and their mating ceremony was completed.

There remained one loose end Butch needed to tie up: he and Marissa made a visit to his human mother, Odell O’Neal, who is steeped deeply into the dark abyss of Alzheimer’s. He needed to say a final goodbye to his mother and his human life. The day after his visit Odell has a momentary lapse of lucidity as she tells her daughter Joyce the truth about Butch’s birth. Of course, Joyce believes her mother’s banter was simply nonsense.

Butch receives his happy ending. He has the love of a worthy woman and his Brothers. He has found his true family and has a place in it. He is no longer an outsider, anywhere.

Favorite Scenes from Butch’s Story

Butch meets the brothers and talks Red Sox with Vishous, Dark Lover, p. 293.
Butch learns he is of Wrath’s blood line and talks to the Scribe Virgin prior to his transformation, Lover Revealed, pp.346-349.
The Scribe Virgin explains why Butch withstands the glow of Vishous, p. 399
Butch goes toe-to-toe with the Omega and the Scribe Virgin intervenes, pp.426-427.
Butch is inducted into the Black Dagger Brotherhood and is officially given his name by Wrath, p. 445.
Odell O’Neal tells her daughter about Butch and Marissa’s visit and the details of his birth, Epilogue, pp. 452-455.



Ward, J. R. (2005). Dark Lover. New York: Signet Eclipse.
Ward. J. R. (2009). Lover Revealed. New York: Signet.

Great meeting!! Thanks Fairy and Renee!

I am so sorry that I missed this meeting. Butch is my #2 but I was very sick. I don't think that I have been this sick ever. I am ready to get the next book going.

Only1JenB wrote:I am so sorry that I missed this meeting. Butch is my #2 but I was very sick. I don't think that I have been this sick ever. I am ready to get the next book going.

Val has Vishous. So Whenever she's ready!

Only1JenB wrote:I am so sorry that I missed this meeting. Butch is my #2 but I was very sick. I don't think that I have been this sick ever. I am ready to get the next book going.

Jen,
We can schedule another Butch chat if you want to. We don't mind an encore. Just let us know if you'd be interested in doing that.

I'd totally be up for that!

Jen, just let us know when you'd be available!

I'm never one to turn down a chance to chat about the BDBH!

Hey Sugar,
Renee and I talked to Jen in the Eric chat Thursday, and she's up for an encore Butch chat this Sunday, March 7, at around 8:00. Can you make it?

Hope so.

Don't worry, I'm there!

So, this Sunday for V's story, Lover Unbound... 8:00 p.m. est?

And I know you ladies have probably already read it... but thought I'd post a teaser from Lover Mine...

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

'Cause we all need a little BDBH in our day!

I have already read it and I read it again! I can NOT wait!!!!

I go back every couple of days - just to get myself psyched.

Can't wait to discuss Vishous this Sunday!

I just finished Lover Avenged, and Revhenge has redeemed himself. I am now a fan of his. Once I finally got into the book, I zoomed through it. Hopefully in Ward's new book John will kick Lash's butt and get his woman back! I can't wait to read it!

I completely agree about Rehv. He turned into one of my favs after that book. I am so ready for Lover Mine.

Yeah, Rehv is soooo good and sooo bad... love him!! You just have to get past the symapth part and embrace the sexy vamp!

Can't wait for our discussion on V tonight!! WooHoo!!

Me too! I'm totally psyched!

Renee

So, a tentative date for "Lover Enshrined" (Phury) March 28/10, 8:00 p.m. est.

43 days until "Lover Mine"!!!!!!

I'll be there. Looking forward to discussing this poor boy.

That date is good for me to chat up Phury. My iPod went dead during chat last night so I didn't get to finish it out. Can't wait for Lover Mine!!!!!!!!!

Me too, Jen. The excerpt has made me even for anxious! I want to see John get his act together.

I managed to get my sister hooked on the Sookie books, and the Anita Blake books too. I encouraged her towards BDBH. She's not feeling it. WTF?!? She was "meh" on Dark Lover, and she's now onto Rhage... and doesn't get why he loves Mary. Think I need to slap her around a bit. But, on the positive side, she' wants to at least get through the books so she can see what happens to John Matthew. Oh welll, maybe we'll have another convert by the end of the series.

:point: WTF!?!?!? Meh? She read about the King and Queen and says "meh?" Oh no, that is punishable!

Sheesh!! tell me about it!!! I wanted to throttle her through the phone line!!