Nightshine

Mutants, vampires, and undead Aztecs populate Viehl’s compelling fourth novel of the Kyndred (after January 2011’s Frostfire), a series spun off from her popular Darkyn books. Genetics company GenHance treated human children with vampire DNA, creating the Kyndred, and now wants to kill them to study their mutated genes. Another mysterious villain studies them in a different fashion: by kidnapping Kyndred, taking them to an island paradise, and forcing them to mate and interbreed. Kidnap victims Charlotte Marena and Samuel Taske find that the required sex is no hardship, and Viehl’s steamy love scenes allow the pair moments of pleasure between attempts to uncover the villain and make plans to escape. The swift pace and hot attraction between the leads combine for a fast read that will encourage readers to seek out Viehl’s backlist. (Nov.)