He respected her—and she was very beautiful.
Kiss of the Betrayer
Boone Brux
Bringer & the Bane, book two
ebook, 400 pages
Published November 19th 2012 by Entangled Select
ISBN 1620610361
For fifteen years Luc Le Daun has blamed himself for the death of the woman he loved. His secret guilt has led him into a life of danger, risking all and committing to none.
Killing Luc Le Daun has been all Jade Kendell has thought about for years. But when her plan goes awry and she’s brought into the Bringers’ fold, her own dark secret threatens to be revealed. Desire for a better life wars with a promise made long before she understood the ramifications.
In a deadly mission, Jade and Luc embark on a journey into the Shadow World. As they attempt the impossible, ignoring the attraction growing between them becomes harder to deny. The slightest misstep could mean the loss of their souls and give the Demon King exactly what he needs to open the Abyss of Souls and annihilate the Bringers
In Kiss of the Betrayer, we pick up not too far from where we left off in book one, and paint me all shades of giddy at finding both Ravyn and Rhys at the forefront of this one's launch.
Many a plot have brought man and woman together where desire burns for one to kill the other--usually the woman seeks to end the man-- but rarely does one actually succeed as Jade does here. Or she would have, had Ravyn not stabbed Luc first.
With an enchanted, immortal weapon.
Thus granting Luc immortality.
But, huzzah, she did it! Hating herself immediately afterward, too. Poor Luc, only five small chapters in and he's been stabbed for death twice.
Adding to the twists... Luc has been haunted by the death of the woman he loved, and intended to marry, for years. A woman who is very much alive. Very much a Bane (demon). And very much Jade's older sister.
Finally, we have achieved full circle. And the loops, they keep on popping up. Jade quickly learns that not everything she knows is a truth. Luc is not the man her sister has made him out to be. Whatever happened all those years ago, whatever manipulations they made been subjected to, it's shaped them both into who they are today. A camaraderie is formed. Attraction grows.
The romance is subtle and slow moving. A few sweet kisses and whole lot of eye contact keeps things flowing. And while not much happens on the epic scale, this book has many a revelations inside. There are about a hundred more bringers laying in wait to aid Rhys and the team, including Sir Gregory, self-proclaimed rightful heir to the throne. Raven is not the princess she was believed to be, but learns instead that she has two sisters, and a mother that may still live.
During all of this, Rell and Icarus join up and form their own bond. Now, I didn't want Rell with the Demon King's son. I like Icarus. Felt he could do better. And damn, by the end my faith was restored that he might just get it. Siban can have whatever he wants. As far as Icarus' story goes.. he's been banished by his father, Vile, from the Shadow World. He's alone, again.
- The ignorant smirk melted from Sha-hera’s face, but still Icarus did not speak. The king’s fist slammed down on the thick stone slab, splitting the table in two and causing Rell to fall backward. She scrambled to the corner like a crab. The heavy chunks fell inward and crashed to the floor to lay broken at Vile’s feet. Sha-hera inched away from the king, but Icarus did not flinch.
4 out of 5 stars. Not much progression aside from knowledge but I loved how Raven and Rhys have kept the focus for the most part. And likely will continue to do so.
- “Know this, I—” He captured her lips in a brutal kiss. His teeth nipped her upper lip as he pulled away. “Will never—” He attacked her mouth again, stealing Jade’s breath and all her willpower. She fought against his hold, needing to touch him, but he didn’t release her. After a torturously wonderful minute he pulled away. Both gasped from the power of the kiss. “Lose you,” he panted.
Coming in November: Chain of Illusions. (Please be Icarus's story!)
Previously in this series:
