If you touch me, I'm lost.
Chained by Night
Larissa Ione
Moonbound Clan Vampires, book two
ebook, 400 pages
Published September 30th 2014 by Pocket Books
ISBN 9781476700205
THE FUTURE OF HIS TRIBE
Leader of the vampire clan MoonBound, Hunter will do what he must to save his people from extinction—or worse, a torturous eternity as vampire slaves and subjects of human experimentation.To keep his enemies at bay, he has agreed to mate a rival clan leader’s daughter in return for peace between the clans and an ally in the looming war with the humans.
THE LOVER OF HIS SOUL
But survival comes at a price. First, Hunter must break an ancient curse by successfully negotiating three deadly tests. Then he must resist the searing passions of the gorgeous vampire warrior he despises but is bound to mate. Will Hunter stay true to his word? Or will he risk everything for the woman he really loves: the vampire seductress’s identical twin sister?
When we were last with Hunter, he was willing to tongue another man's cock in order to save his people. I remember well the hilarity, and how I could *not* wait to read the story of a man (er, vampire) who was so selflessly willing to traumatize himself for such a noble cause. What is asked of him instead, is to wed the man's daughter, thus ensuring peace between their tribes and an ally in the coming war. Too bad she's a bitch. Her twin sister, however, deemed too flawed to ever be worth a proper mating, is the one who must accompany his quest to remove the curse haunting him and any offspring his marriage would produce.
Alas, Ailyn has her own arranged mating to deal with. Just another pawn in their father's game of foolhardy alliances. But for Ailyn, her suitor is a monster of a male with a throng of too young females in his bed. She envies her sister's betrothal. Hunter may be their enemy, but the guy's hot. And noble.
Their first meeting is in the aftermath of an attack, in which both sisters are being held hostage. With Ailyn's play at decoy for her sister's benefit and Riker's military talk, they each suffer a case of mistaken identity. Hunter believes Ailyn is Rasha, and finds himself hopeful of their future given the reaction both his mind and body give to her. Meanwhile, Ailyn believes his name is Roger. Yeah, not her shining moment.
After a heated feeding to assist Ailyn's healing, the truth is out and a game of Super Mario Brothers is on. Gotta love Hunter! Even after the return to the MoonBound Clan's home, he shuns Rasha at every turn, respectfully, and yet, opens to Ailyn with every chance encounter. All the while, trusting neither of them. When the time comes to reveal the mission of their quest that will free his and Rasha's future child from the debt of a demon, only one sister is willing to accompany him. Surprisingly, Rasha's decline isn't a wholly selfish act. Although she doesn't fancy the idea of losing her child, it's not physically possible for her to travel through portals without courting death. But don't be mistaken, the bitch expects Hunter to die. She just hopes she's pregnant when it happens. A true dilemma since Hunter swears he won't even touch her with the threat of the curse in play.
I dove into this book the moment it arrived and finished it the same day. Being a four hundred page story, I can't tell you how long it's been since that has happened! But nine months is a long time to wait for a sequel, and damn, was it worth it! And over way too soon at that.
While I'm not the biggest fan of the whole jealousy rage being the final straw that brings on a mate claiming, it worked for Hunter. Certainly didn't expect this man who would give anything for his people to actually surrender everything for the woman he loved. He would've walked away. Hell, he would have run away. With her. For her. Making it a truly amazing and romantic story.
Just another work of art from Larissa Ione. 5 out of 5 stars.
Previously in the series: