What do you get when you pair a vivacious female vampire hunter with a cool, punctilious immortal Dark-Hunter and pit them against a bunch of blood- and soul-sucking Daemons? This taut, rollicking romance from Kenyon (Kiss of the Night
, etc.), who's fast becoming a grand dame of the paranormal romance arena. Steely Dark-Hunter Valerius Magnus and gutsy, wisecracking Tabitha Deveraux are two of Kenyon's most appealing creations. Brought together by a humorous twist of fate—Tabitha stabs Valerius, mistaking him for a Daemon—they light up every scene in which they're together. Unfortunately, their romance seems doomed. The husband of Tabitha's twin has a 2,000-year-old grudge against Valerius, many of Tabitha's friends hate him for atrocities he supposedly committed many years ago and a group of unusually powerful Daemons are intent on annihilating Tabitha, her sisters and anyone who stands in their way. Tabitha and Valerius are aided by Kenyon's familiar crew of Dark-Hunters and Dark-Hunter friends, including their enigmatic ringleader, Acheron, who is explored in more depth here than in the author's earlier novels. Though Kenyon doesn't skirt melodrama entirely with this tale—evidenced by the flashbacks to Valerius's unbelievably tortured past—she succeeds in offering a lively read containing her signature blend of brisk action, sensual thrills and light humor. (Jan.)
