Phantom Shadows

Dr. Melanie Lipton keeps immortals and vampires under her sharp medical scrutiny, including the mysterious yet mesmerizing Sebastien Newcombe. The sexy feelings are mutual, and the two struggle to acknowledge their attraction amid deceit and dissent in the world of the Immortal Guardians. Sebastien has been a loner for centuries, despised by his peers for past sins; the walls around his heart are tall and strong. Yet Melanie slips closer to him, softening those walls like every good heroine does for the tortured lonely alpha in need of understanding. Both characters have realistic and very human emotions, lending them significant relatability. Duvall uses recurring characters from previous titles (Darkness Dawns; Night Reigns) to continue building her intriguing paranormal world with increasing flair and writerly skill. (Oct.)