Posts Tagged ‘Dark-Hunters’

Bad Moon Rising: A Dark-Hunter Novel
Lily is dancing in her underwear and talking about Fang…

Oh hello, guys. I didn’t expect you back already. Ok. Let me turn off the music, put some pants on and put these jazz fingers away. Let’s try this again, and please don’t tell her about the stain on the center pillow on the sofa. I swear that bottle of blood was empty when I fell asleep.

So anyways, Hello Maryse’s followers. Since she’s out of the house, I am going to talk about books behind her back! Muhahaha . This is a warning of sorts; we don’t review books the same way. Her’s are always pretty and elegant and NEVER anything outrageous. Mine are more rambling and outlandish. You have been warned. Now *queue theatrical voice* PREPARE TO BE AMAZED!

If you have not read the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter series you have been missing out. Bad Moon Rising is the 18th book in the long standing series and takes a spin on things. We were introduced to the Kattlatkis brothers back in Night Play, where we met Vane a wolf Were-Hunter that fell madly in love with a plus sized human named Bride. After a crushing betrayal that resulted in the death of their sister, Vane and his ever smart mouthed brother Fang are strung up and left for death. After an attack (which they barely survive) Fang falls into a coma and Vane is left with some serious problems to clean up. Including finding out Fury (a pack member that could not get along with Fang at all) is one of their brothers. In Night Play we get a glimpse of Fang in a coma and Vane’s attempts to bring him out of it. I thought Fang was being a ninny. Boy was I ever wrong.

Bad Moon Rising kicks off with the introduction of the pack to Sanctuary. Aimee Peltier (a bear Were-Hunter and the crown jewel of her family) gets attacked by some Jackal Were-Hunters. The wolf pack disregards the laws of Sanctuary (where everyone is welcome and safe, no fights ever – in front of the humans anyways. Come in Peace or leave in Pieces is the motto) and jumps to save her. Wolves are known for their protection of their females (and for having disgusting manners and being savages). To their surprise they are not thrown out but told they will always be welcome with the bears for their willingness to help save Amiee.

We also get to spend more time with Fang. He is a jerk. He is loud mouthed, quick to fight, impatient and rude. He is also tall, dark hair, beautiful eyes and a stomach you could do your wash on. The line I think of when I think of Fang is a line from Shrek 2. Donkey, Puss in Boots and Shrek have all been arrested. Donkey is screaming and carrying on and on and yelling no one told him he had the right to remain silent. Shrek replies “You have the right, what you lack is the capacity.” Fang just lacks the capacity to shut his mouth.

Aimee and Fang are finding themselves hopelessly attracted to one another and some really good scenes come of it. Tons of tension, and boy do I love tension. There are major problems with this match though. With the weres there is always a more dominant side – either human first animal second or vice versa. He is an animal first (Kattagari), which means he is more wild, more like a creature in the woods and is quick to act like an animal. She is a human first (Arcadian), which means she is more repulsed by the animal nature of him, and her human side is always running the show. Oh there is also the problem of them not even being the same species and her Kattagari family doesn’t know she’s now Arcadian.

Fangs mind:

Put her out of your thoughts. His father hated him enough. If he ever found out Fang was turned on by a bear… they’d call out a hunt and he’d be slaughtered.

Aimee’s thoughts:

Then what was Amiee? Katagari bear who became Arcadian at puberty. One with the tracking powers of a goddess who was currently attracted to only a wolf. You don’t get more unnatural than that.

We continue to travel with them on their journey to each other. Once Fang comes out of the coma (of which he only got out of by agreeing to a new job), him and Amiee are trying to ignore each other but still give us some panty melting moments with them (If this gets back to her – calm down Ma, just a hint).

Setting the beer aside, he pulled her to him until she was standing between his spread knees. Her scent wrapped around him like a warm cloak as he imagined her sliding her T-shirt over her head and freeing her breasts. “I’ve never wanted a woman as badly as I do you.”

Wow Fang, that’s hot. If the whole species thing wasn’t bad enough there is the small problem with his new boss:

I should probably warn you that I’m not real big on fairness and I have a below zero tolerance on most things. Do your job. Do it right and we won’t have any problems. F it up and I’ll most likely kill you. F up bad enough and I’ll torture you first.

Ok so I am going to take it this is not the kind of boss you can pour out your career plans too or offer a nice dental plan. This story progresses over 3 other plot lines from the series and maybe that’s what made it so special to me. We got to go back and see multiple plot lines evolving in time with each other, and some of the questions I had before suddenly were answered.

I loved Fang because of his never ending snark and mouth. He was a jerk that talked first and thought about his words second. I loved Amiee for trying to be the good daughter, without being a total martyr about it. Her choices in life were made for her at the end of the day. This book is pivotal to the plot line and if you liked the hints of Fang you got with Vane’s story please revisit him and get his side of the story with Bad Moon Rising.

Also you get a better look at the bears, with a shocker at the end that had me going “NO WAY”. This is going to change the course of the Were-Hunters in the next book, which will be the older brother and one of the quads Dev, in No Mercy.

Dev the bouncer brother is going to get a heroine, and I personally vote for myself. I mean a new vamp and a were, it’s not like it hasn’t been done people! 

That’s it get out, Maryse told me I wasn’t allowed to have guests. Best get on out of here. Maybe next time we can talk about the queen – you know Betsy!

My grand-maker is coming over soon, so I got to straighten up again. Whoever brought the shifter needs to make sure he is housebroken before he comes over again too! Bye!

Yay! I’ve been waiting and waiting, following Sherrilyn’s website, absorbing all the details I can on Nick’s upcoming book (and he is most certainly one of my FAVORITE characters), and future installments. I love how detailed Ms. Kenyon’s character pages are.

Written for the YA market (Nick in his teens!!), this book is sure to stir all of us devoted Dark-Hunter fans.

While we wait for tomorrow (just one more “sleep” until the book is in my hands! LOL!), here are some cool links to tide us over…

To celebrate tomorrow’s launch of ‘Infinity’, the first of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s vampirific young adult series ‘Chronicles of Nick’, St. Martin’s Press is offering the new book trailer (plus a link to download of the song from the trailer)

**Note to Dark-Hunter fans. The Chronicles of Nick *is* Nick’s real and true past.

“At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him.”

The New York Times-bestselling with over 19 million books in print, Sherrilyn Kenyon is renowned the world over as “the reigning queen of the paranormal genre that she pioneered long before the world had heard of Twilight.”

Infinity Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REzJ6LxFwcY

Download the song:
http://www.officialsanctuary.com/infinity-video-and-song/?utm_source=pointroll&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=infinity

READ CHAPTER EXCERPTS AND INTERVIEW:
http://www.officialsanctuary.com/chronicles-of-nick/infinity/

Hurray for us! Two weeks early!

This one finally takes us back to New Orleans where it all started (and where I feel at home with this series). While it does focus on another “Dream-Hunter”, it has the feel of the Dark-Hunter books, and we see many of the Dark-Hunter characters (including Ash), in this one.

Simone Dubois is a medical examiner with an added advantage (or disadvantage, depending on who you ask). She can see and communicate with ghosts, giving her the ability to aid the police department on murder cases. While most on the department are unaware of her abilities, she has specifically befriended one agent, who is no stranger to paranormal activity (considering he is also a Squire to the Dark-Hunters). She was orphaned at a young age (her mother and siblings were murdered in front of her, and her father took his own life shortly thereafter). Lonely, and constantly burdened with the fear of abandonment, she does have one best friend that has been there since she was a little girl (a sweet and quirky male ghost – Jesse - in perpetual state of teenage-hood). While he was there to comfort her as a child, he too, has felt consoled, since she is the only human who can see him. Together, they “grew up”, and have never left each other’s side.

 Jesse rolled his eyes. “Their ogling you, dude. Talking about your assets and the fact that you’re nauseatingly ripped, which I would have been had I not bit the dust at seventeen.” He puffed out his chest, trying to make himself look more muscular. “I’m forever trapped in my tall, gangly phase.”

The notoriously dangerous but exquisite “Xypher” (a Skotos/Dream-Hunter), renowned for his dangerous ways, has been granted temporary reprieve from his incessant torture in Tartarus, by Hades, (to aid Sin and Kat in their hunt for the Gallu demons).

Having only a few weeks of freedom (on earth) left, he unintentionally runs into Simone during an attack on her life. During the struggle, a Daimon wraps bracelets around their wrists, and they quickly realize that they are bound to each other (thanks to a devious scheme by Stryker’s sister to kill Xypher).

You see, at one time, they (Xypher and Satara) were in love, (or so he thought), and their connection eventually landed him in Tartarus/hell (I’ll let you find out why). Now that he has been temporarily released, Satara is certain he is coming for her to take revenge, and her solution is to bind him to a weak human.

“Pass those along to one of my Spathi Daimons and have him secure one to Xypher and the other to a mortal and all your troubles are over.”

She smiled as she finally understood the significance of the bracelets. “They bind them…kill the mortal and Xypher dies.”

He inclined his head to her. “Even better than that, if the mortal gets more than twenty feet from him, the human dies…and so does he.”

If one dies, the other follows (and how easy is it for a human to die? VERY!). Along with that, they are bound physically, and must remain together at all times as physical distance will also kill them. All I can say is what an obviously convenient (but satisfyingly wonderful) setup for an unavoidable romantic connection!

Their personalities clash at first (Xypher is an angry god, no doubt due to his mistrust of women, and constant whippings and other tortures since being in hell). 

“What is wrong with you?”

His eyes flared in the darkness. “Be grateful, human, that you could never understand.”

Understand what? That he was an asshole? There was no excuse in that.

“You know, you’re not the only one with problems in this equation. I happen to have a life and a job. The last thing I need is to be pulling around a three-hundred-pound gorilla with a chip on his shoulder so big it’s a wonder he’s not hunch-backed from it.”

“I don’t weigh three hundred pounds.”

She arched a single brow at his retort. “No denying the gorilla part?”

“No.”

However they are forced to work together, and learn about life on a whole new level.

Xypher forced himself to look away from her and to squelch those thoughts. It wasn’t his fate to have a woman like her touch him in that way. He was an animal and he knew it. He’d been left alone too long, had been cast out to find his own way. Tenderness was for humans. It wasn’t for a renegade Skotos who was going to be taken back to hell in a few weeks.

Don’t go soft. Don’t let your guard down.

Sooner or later, he’d be taken back in Tartarus at the mercy of Hades. It’s taken centuries to harden himself so that he didn’t feel the steel-barbed lashes so deeply when they beat him. Centuries of learning how to not fall for the cruel mind games that Hades played.

Comfort on this plane would only weaken him when he returned.

It would make hell even more biting. That was something he couldn’t allow. It was bad enough. To soften his existence here…

No wonder Hades had agreed to let him loose for a month. The god of the Underworld had known exactly how much worse Xypher’s punishment would be after he’d tasted freedom.

Bastard.

Not only do they have to figure out how to release themselves from their forced mergence, but they have danger attacking from all angles. New and intriguing revelations from deep within this tale are slowly unveiling, and expanding this universe into infinite depths.

I bonded to them. I did! Their fights, their entanglements, and their eventual union…

“Push me away, Simone,” he said in her ear, his voice ragged.

“Is that what you want?”

“No,” he growled.

…was paced well enough that I followed them the whole way through. Who Xypher and Simone are differs greatly from who they can eventually be, proving to be a surprising and very rewarding twist.

I am even developing a certain fondness for a new character (Jaden), that I have seen in this book, and every book since (on first impression, he seems to be an evil and “unfeeling” go-between for the largest powers that be). However, similar to other characters in this series, the hardened exterior seems to be protecting a very tender heart.

Oh and, have I mentioned, in the past, just how much I love Hades? Weird…I know, but there it is! Tell me you don’t feel it too! 

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Acheron

I’ve been out of the blogging loop as of late, I know. More reviews to come shortly…

Blame it on “Acheron” – WOW, what a book! Enough said

Ok, off I go. Mama’s reading her stories (tee hee!)

Happy Halloween folks!! Thought I’d take a quick time-out to review the next in my list of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter/Dream-Hunter series. This one was called “Upon a Midnight Clear” and involves a female Oneroi (Dream-Hunter), who is sent to earth to aid a human male. It read like a short story, and I have a feeling it was meant to be one. It was somewhat disappointing, as it had a very “cookie-cutter” feel to it, and I did not bond in the least with any of the characters. In fact, I was more then irritated by the rich and gorgeous, yet ”anguished” human superstar actor, Aidan O’Connor (who was in early retirement).

Due to his huge mistrust of anyone that had ever claimed to “love” him, he had resigned himself to absolute seclusion, refusing any further job offers that his agent sent his way.  Betrayed by all his loved ones (from his brother and immediate family) to the love of his life, he is determined never to love or trust again, so that he can never again feel such hurt. He lives his life in solitary confinement (albeit quite luxurious), and allows his bitterness to seep out of every pore to anyone who attempts to approach him.

His eyes scalded her with their intense heat. “Then do what I do. Turn your tears into rage. Crying will only make you sick. But anger…anger infuses you. It strengthens you. It crawls through your body until you’re forced to act. There’s no dwindling of strength, no mewling blurry vision. It clears your head and focuses your actions. Most of all, it empowers you.”

“Is that why you stay angry?”

“Absolutely.”

While it would make sense that someone who has been betrayed to such an extent would become embittered towards the world, what baffled me was how such a famous and beloved actor could be betrayed to such extents, by those closest to him. I mean, following the themes of this series, such betrayal would be expected by demons and even certain gods, but by every mere mortal in his close proximity? Come on!! And the backstabbers rationale that motivated them to conspire against him…simply eye-rolling. The extents that they went to, to defile his public image, and how easily they all seemed to coerce others in their plot, suggested such weak-mindedness, that I was simply unable to relate.

Well, anyway, his biggest enemy (his imprisoned brother), manages to summon the most powerful god of pain (Dolor) and demands that he annihilate his famous brother in ways most excruciating. That is when the dream god “Leta” (sister of M’Adoc) is sent to help him.

Of course, there is a touch of romance to melt our hearts…

“What are you thinking?”

He smiled at her very human question as he wound her head in his silken hair. “I’m thinking about how wonderful you feel in my arms.”

Her smile made his heart soar and his groin jerk. “I’ve only been with you and my husband. I’d forgotten how incredible this could be.” Her eyes turned stormy. “Unlike you, I don’t like being alone.”

His grief and pain gathered in his throat to choke him, and he confided in her something he hadn’t confided on anyone – not even himself. “Neither do I. Alone sucks.”

She closed her eyes before she covered his hand with hers and turned her face into his palm to kiss it.

That single act shattered him. “If you betray me, Leta…kill me. Be kind and don’t let me live in the shadow of your cruelty. I can’t take another blow like that. I’m not that strong.”

…and the usual battle, and perhaps even a sad (or good) ending – I won’t say either way

It’s kind of a cute story to read (just don’t expect the detail and intricate plot of past novels in the series). Since this is a Christmas story, it would probably be well suited during a much needed, quick time-out, during the Christmas season. With an obvious, but sweet message, it was pleasant enough, in a “Lifetime Movie” sort of way. My favorite part is actually the end, when we get a Christmas Day glimpse into the lives of all of our favorite Dark-Hunters, Were-Hunters, and even Acheron. That was nice!

Not to fear, the next book in the series (which I have also finished), “Dream Chaser” kicks us back into high gear! We get to experience the lives of new main characters, and also savor some screen time with Acheron, Julian, and some Weres, once again, in our cozy setting of New Orleans. For some reason, it felt like I was home again

After almost completing the entire Dark-Hunter series, I have earmarked a paragraph (found in “Dark Side of the Moon”) that was an excellent quick description of what a Dark-Hunter is. While the concept has to be repeated in almost every novel (for newcomers picking up a book in the middle of the series), this description just struck me as perfect.

Dark-Hunters were created out of men and women who’d suffered unjust tragedy and who wanted revenge on those who’d wronged them. It was the screaming of their souls that summoned Artemis to them, and if they accepted the bargain, Artemis would bring them back to life and give them twenty-four hours to exact their revenge. After that, they become soldiers in her army that was dedicated to protecting mankind from the Daimons. The nature of their creation guaranteed that all of them had at least one major tragedy in their past.

That’s all folks! Just a reference piece for those curious readers who haven’t yet picked up the series ;)

This was a book I was anxious to read simply due to the dark, mysterious and unbelievably sexy model on the cover. He must have mesmerized me so much, because I accidentally purchased the book twice! In this case I DID judge a book by it’s cover, and it didn’t disappoint. 

This book takes place in Seattle, and is about a male Were-Hunter/Leopard named Ravyn who is also a Dark-Hunter (the best of both worlds – although I’m sure he begs to differ). His family want nothing to do with him, specifically because they blame him for the death of their loved ones, and even more so, now that he is a Dark-Hunter (instead of just dead).

One evening, while patrolling for Daimons, he is tricked (his libido getting the best of him), kidnapped…

One minute he’d been hiding in the shadows of Pike’s Market, waiting for his Squire, Erika, to come get him, and the next thing he’d known that puta in the red skirt had grabbed him and snapped the collar around his neck before he could fight or sense her intentions. Once the collar was in place, he’d been powerless without his magick.

and brought to an animal shelter (operated by Daimons). In cat form, he is imprisoned in a cage, sporting a “special” collar that will not allow him to change back to his human form, while he awaits his death.

He becomes unintentionally involved with “Susan Michaels” when she “adopts” him. She is an ex-reporter, now working for a trashy publication (due to a past reporting error that has blacklisted her from working for anything respectable). She receives a call from her best friend (Angie) who works at an animal shelter requesting she come see her immediately as she has a tip on a very important story. So they are not suspected of anything out of the ordinary, her friend hands her any old cat (in this case, Ravyn) and insists she act as if she is there to adopt the animal. Privately, her friends (Angie, and her husband Jimmy, a police officer) let her in on a story that seems absolutely preposterous, and she now fears for their sanity.

Susan sighed at the fear in her friend’s voice. “Did he tell you what was going on?”

She shook her head. “Not exactly. He said too many people were missing and dying and that he’s terrified that the ones responsible will come after him next. He wants us to head out for his parents’ house in Oregon.”

“Did he also tell you about the vampires?”

“The what?” By Angie’s face, Susan could tell that Jimmy hadn’t shared that bit of information with his wife.

“Yeah, according to him, the vampires are out to kill all of us off. No offense, Ang. I think Jimmy needs some help. Has he been doing a lot of overtime?”

Anger flared deep in Angie’s eyes. “Jimmy’s not crazy, Sue. Not by a long shot.”

Maybe, but she didn’t want to argue with her friend. “Yeah, well, thanks for the hot news tip.”

As she started for the door, Angie stopped her, “Here. Take the cat with you.”

She gaped. “Excuse me?”

“Please. For whatever reason, Jimmy is terrified. Take the cat to keep up appearances and I’ll come by and pick him up after work.”

Shortly thereafter, unbeknownst to Susan, the clinic is attacked, and her friends (amongst others) are killed. Arriving home, under the illusion that she is safe (and thinking nothing of what Jimmy has told her), she attempts to remove the cat’s collar…

At first the collar seemed to tighten even more, causing the cat to wheeze and choke. Susan pulled at the collar with all her strength. Just when she was sure it was useless, the collar snapped in half with a foreign surge of electricity so powerful it actually knocked her back three feet.

Cursing, she righted herself, then froze as she caught sight of the cat, which was growing on the carpet, right before her eyes. In a matter of heartbeats, it went from small house cat to full leopard size.

And still it writhed on the floor as if it were agony.

“Run!”

She flinched at the man’s voice in her head. Far from a coward, she moved forward…at least until all hell broke loose. Lightning shot from the ceiling and rebounded all over her room, shattering frames and breaking light bulbs. The hair on her body stood up on ends as the air was rife with static electricity that snapped in her ears.

The leopard let out a feral snarl as it clawed her carpet.

Unsure of what to do and unable to get to her gun since the cat was between her and the staircase, Susan took cover behind her couch as more lighting flashed and the windows rattled so badly that she wasn’t even sure why they hadn’t shattered. She shrieked as a bolt came dangerously close to her, making her hair stand on end in what she was sure was a truly attractive sight.

Just as she thought her house would ignite into flames from the powerful bursts, the lightning stopped abruptly. It was eerily quiet as she sat cringing with her hands on her ears. So quiet that all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. The heaviness of her own breathing.

She half-expected the lightning to return.

But after a minute of waiting with nothing else running amok, she dared a glance over the back of the couch to discover the most incredible thing of all had happened…

Her leopard was gone and in its place was a naked man.

…and her whole world (and belief system) is turned upside down.

The Daimons, realizing their prisoner is missing, track down Susan’s residence and attack them (forcing Susan to see Ravyn in true Dark-Hunter action). The police become involved and the news report that Susan and Ravyn are responsible for the deaths at the clinic. They now become wanted fugitives.

Needing to protect Susan from the police and the Daimons that are after them, Ravyn realizes that their only option is hiding at the Sanctuary (unfortunately, run by the very family who hates and has disowned him). While in hiding, they try to uncover the conspiracy that has them being hunted (by both the police and the Daimons).

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said as she sat down. The leather creaked under her weight, which really just made her feel so much better about herself and her situation. “I just woke up this morning, had my cornflakes and coffee as usual. Went to work for my sleazeball paper and saw my prize story had been butchered and turned to crap. Had my boss crawl all over my butt because I can’t leave reality behind me. So to help me with that, he gives me this assignment to track down some kid writing about a catman who prowls the market. Then while I’m contemplating the total absurdity that is my life, my best friend calls and tells me she has a lead for a real story that could get my reputation back. Only that story turns out to be one about the cops helping vampires eat us. I adopt a cat that I’m allergic to because my girlfriend is paranoid. I take him home to have him become the very thing I’d been told to find by my eccentric boss. And the next thing I know, my house is blown to shit. The Catman eats a guy in front of me, and my two best friends on the planet are now dead.

I enjoyed this book because it introduced us to even more characters, with deep emotional ties that make this tale tangible. There are some incredibly funny moments (when Ravyn first assumes Susan is a Squire, and my favorite part, when Ravyn was “tranqued” and loopy), and some very touching moments when Susan and Ravyn connect. 

He dipped his head down so that he could inhale the scent of her hair. The soft strands tickled his cheek even as the warmth of her body calmed him. He laid his other arm over her and held her close in the darkness. Like a lover. This moment awoke a long forgotten dream inside him. A dream of family. Of love. Of having someone he could love, who would love him too.

God, it’d been way too long since he’d just held someone…

We even get a glimpse of Nick (in his new ”bitter” format)…

“Yeah, and two years ago I thought Ash was a friend of mine. You know what that got me? A bullet in the brain.”

“I don’t know how you died, but I know Ash didn’t kill you.”

Nick gave a bitter laugh. “I wish I still had your blind faith. Unfortunately, mine was stripped from me the night I died.”

… and the first meeting (or should I say confrontation) between Nick and Ash (this one hit a nerve!)

Well worth the read, and definitely in the true spirit of the Dark-Hunter series.

Right off the bat, I want to apologize for the amount of excerpts I have used in this review. I simply loved too many parts of this book, and just had to include my favorite sections. Let’s just say, it’s a “celebration” of the moments that captured me.

Another great book to the series, Book six (Vane’s book) shifts gears slightly and allows us into the world of the Were-Hunters. I loved it and would consider it one of my favorites so far! Vane was one of the sweetest, most gentle and least brazen of the bunch.

As we’ve learned in Talon’s book, Vane is a Were-Hunter. Were-hunters are essentially, Apollites that have had their essence magically spliced with that of animals (in an attempt to keep them alive past their cursed 27th birthday). What resulted were two species of “shifters” (of sorts), that despised each other (Katagaria – animal in nature but can shift to human form, and the Arcadians – human in nature but can shift to animal form).

Zane was born to a Katagaria father (beastly in both form and personality), and an Arcadian mother who was taken against her will and raped by his father. His mother abandoned her litter once born, leaving her pups to be raised by the Katagaria. Unfortunately, for Zane, as he aged, he realized he was human in nature and struggled to keep his animal form so as not to be killed by his Katagaria family when they realized he took after his Arcadian mother.

Regularly abused, neglected and alienated from his “people”, the only ones that truly loved him were his siblings Fang and his sister Anya. Fang, a true Katagaria, assisted his brother through their childhood in keeping his secret, and teaching him how to hunt. As adults, Anya (and her pups) were killed one evening, while Fang and Vane were away, assisting the Dark-Hunters in protecting “Sunshine” (remember Talon’s book?). The death of Anya enraged their father, and he contracted Daimons to hunt and kill his sons for betraying them by helping the Dark-Hunters.

Somewhat successful in their escape after being attacked by the Daimons, Vane brought his now comatose brother “Fang” to “Sanctuary” (the local hangout for all the paranormals) to be cared for and protected from his father while he planned what to do next.

Vane, walking down the streets of New Orleans, walks by a shop and sees the one woman who has been haunting his heart since the first time he saw her (that night that he had protected Sunshine).

Bride, a gentle soul, who has just been terribly hurt by her pompous fiance finds herself dumped via a FedEx’d letter, and kicked out of their home. Crying alone in her shop, she was devastated.

Fierce anger tore through him. It was bad enough that his life sucked, the last thing he wanted was to see someone like her cry.

Vane, unable to stop himself, walks into the shop to console her.

Finally she laughed. The sound lightened his heart instantly.

“Is that a smile?” he asked.

She nodded and sniffed delicately before she laughed again.

Returning her smile, Vane reached out and cupped her cool cheek. She was so beautiful when she laughed. Her dark amber eyes sparkled. Before he could stop himself, he leaned down and kissed the tears from her lashes.

After he helps mend her broken heart, Bride not ready to pull away from him just yet, makes a special request, leading them (and us) into one of the most delicious love scenes I have ever read. I don’t know why this one got to me, but it had a certain je ne sais quoi…deeply intimate and connected.

Something inside him relished the rarity of this.

The gentleness.

In a life where violence and territory and blood wars reigned, it was nice to have a reprieve. A tender lover’s touch.

The human side of him craved this.

It craved her.

After they reluctantly part ways, they each discover a burning pattern developing in the palm of their hands. Bride has no idea what it could be, but Vane quickly realizes what it means…

Colt ducked under the bar and came up behind him. His jaw went slack. “You’re mated?” He asked incredulously. “Who’s the lucky she-wolf?”

Vane couldn’t breathe as he saw the marking. How could this be?

“It’s impossible.”

Colt laughed. “Yeah, right, you sound like Serre when he got mated. Trust me, it happens to the best of us.”

“No,” they said, meeting the bear’s gaze. “She’s human. I am a wolf. I can’t be mated to a human. It’s not possible.”

The color faded from Colts face as the full impact of the situation hit him. “You unlucky bastard. It’s not often that an Arcadian mates to a human, but it does happen.”

“I’m not Arcadian,” vein snarled. There was nothing human in him. Nothing.

Colt grabbed his hand and held it up to the line of sight. “Argue with this all you want to. But face it, Vane. Your three weeks are ticking. Either you claim the human or you live the rest of your life without ever feeling another female’s touch.”

Should be easy enough, right? He’s gorgeous and we quickly realize, she can’t stop thinking about him. But how can the very skeptical, human ”Bride” accept a half-wolf as her lover? And worse yet, how can he possibly keep her safe, when he is being hunted?

There were so many great moments, that made me chuckle, from Vane attempting to enter her life as a possible “pet wolf”,

Kyrian started for the stairs, then stopped as he caught sight of the wolf sitting quietly behind Bride.

“Is that who I think it is?” Amanda asked him.

Kyrian cocked his head. “Yeah, I think so.”

Bride’s heart stopped. “You know his owner?”

Kyrian looked a bit uneasy with her question. “He doesn’t really have an owner per se. How did you end up with him?”

“He turned up at my house and I took him in.”

Kyrian and Amanda exchanged a puzzled look. “He let you?”

“Well, yeah.”

Tabitha opened her mouth as if she understood what they were thinking. “Oh dear Lord, don’t tell me he’s one of your cockamamie friends.”

to asking for dating advice from Nick

He stepped forward and draped an arm around Vane’s shoulders. “All right, listen to me, Wolf. You get some clothes and impress her with a lot of cash. You need to take her somewhere good to eat. There is a place down on Chartres where you can get a two-for-one dinner-”

“Nicky!”

They all turned to look at Amanda, who stood between the curtains, glaring at them.

“What?” Nick asked.

“Don’t you dare tell him how to date.” Amanda came over and handed her daughter to Kyrian. “Have you ever noticed that Mr. Suave here seldom dates a woman twice. There’s a reason for that.”

And wait until you read through the Thanksgiving supper with Bride’s family!

The charming character development (including the Roman Dark-Hunter, Valerius), the complex but precious relationships formed, alliances, and the family history that goes back hundreds of years make up a very full and rewarding tale. Another great little twist in the end had me smiling, and I can honestly say, there was no part of this book that I didn’t love.