I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Demon Blood
paranormal romance in a paperback edition that was published by Berkley on July 6, 2010 and has 414 pages.
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Sixth in the Guardians paranormal romance series that revolves around a group of semi-angels and vampires who protect mankind. The couple focus here is on Rosalia and Deacon and is based in Rome.
My Take
A good story with some well-deserved triumphs. YES! We get quite a bit of back history on Rosalia and the hated Lorenzo as well as Deacon. There’s Rosalia’s crazy plan to make the world safer for Guardians, humans, and vampires. Then there’s the so-very sad “courtship” between Deacon and Rosalia which Brook does well. Talk about miscommunication and misperception. Why is it so easy to see another person’s self-esteem issues and not recongize one’s own? Some very nice twists in this story.
I realized as I was reading that the setup in Brook’s series and the varied characters in the individual stories enable more unique connections. There is a certain expectation when you open a Guardian story about the central, ongoing theme, but each character in the stories has their own particular interest and history. Their own needs. It creates a greater sense of adventure when you crack that spine.
It’s rather irritating that Brook goes on and on about Rosalia serving the Church and now they’ve suddenly cut her off. And that’s all we get on this. She never explains how the Church has used in her in the past or why they’ve stopped. As much as I enjoyed the wrap-up, I rather wish that Anaria could have been brought to understand that her perceptions of her “children” were off, although as fixated as she is on her dream of a kinder mankind it probably wouldn’t work anyway.
I couldn’t really call it a loose thread…it’s more of a loose beginning. Taylor keeps ending up on Anaria’s island and we never find out what the “compulsion” is that forces this.
I enjoyed Brook’s description of Sardis’ place…it sounds so incredibly tacky! I will be curious as to St. Croix’s future activities. I don’t like the sound of him.
Huh, who knew Rosalia was such a detailed planner, tracking so many bits of minutiae that I would never have considered. Then there’s Khavi’s criteria for separating out the potatoes…didn’t see that one coming! She’s such a practical little thing!
The Story
It seems that Deacon did not walk into the sun and Rosalia is happy. She has admired and respected him for ninety years and would like to know him better. And within her joy, she concocts a plan, one which could aid the Guardians and save the vampires. All it will take is destroying any shred of self-respect Deacon may still have.
The destructive events in Prague have caused other vampire communities to be more cautious around demons, yet there are always some who believe they can bargain with one. Rumor of a change in demon perspective has begun to circulate. That they no longer care to preserve the vampires, they only want their blood.
Anaria is ensnared within her own delusions about her children, the nephilim.
The Characters
Rosalia Acciaioli became a nun in her human life to escape the marriage her father had planned. A short escape as she soon became a Guardian. Lorenzo, the most feared vampire in Europe, her brother, is dead. Gemma is now engaged to Vincente, Rosalia’s son. Growing up in a Guardian-vampire household, Vincente knows how to protect against evil, but Rosalia has no idea how to protect herself from her son’s hate. Father Wojcinski was her liaison with the Church, now he’s simply her friend. Sofia was Gemma’s grandmother and she had been the housekeeper for Rosalia and her vampire family at the abbey for years until her death.
Before he was turned, James Buchanan Knox had been a preacher in the navy. Now Deacon has been a vampire for almost ninety years. Admired, respected until events in Demon Forged. Now he’s reviled. He has no home, no friends. There is no hope for a betrayer. He seeks death even as he searches for and kills as many of Belial’s demons as he can find. It will never be enough and he is sure to die before he can kill them all, but even one will help. He does have one advantage they don’t know about.
Irena now leads the Guardians with Alejandro’s help. Taylor is the new Doyen and she is struggling with Michael’s invasions of her mind, fighting off the push to kill Deacon. Too new as a Guardian, there is no time for her to learn the skills she will need. Mariko and Radha pop in and out — definitely in for the girls’ night! Khavi is also grigori — Zakril’s sister. She has the Gift of foretelling and is working with the Guardians. Lyta is her hellhound.
Camille is with Yves now, leading the vampire community in Paris. Other vampire leaders include Tomás Lakatos in Budapest, Kyriakos Sardis in Greece, Henri David in Monte Carlo, José Carvalho in Lisbon, and Stefan in Amsterdam.
Belial‘s demons are still wreaking havoc on Earth while he is in Hell. Theriault is a demon while Clayton Conley, Nicholas St. Croix, and Karl Geier are possible demons contending for Rael’s position at Legion. Malkvial is a more serious threat and he is still unidentified. Demons who have been sent to infiltrate the vampire communities include Benedek Farkas, Valeotes, and Fournier.
Anaria is a grigori and the mother of the nephilim, sister to Michael, and is plotting to take Lucifer’s throne. Her dream is to eliminate free will, to force humans to choose to be kind. Not much of a choice to my mind…
The wars between demons and angels led to the angels creating the Guardians, humans who died giving their life to save another from demons (angels who rebelled) or nosferatu (angels who hid from the conflict) while vampires are humans attacked by nosferatu and then were brought back to life by drinking the blood of a nosferatu or a vampire. Grigori were created through magic and dragon’s blood when Lucifer sent his chosen demons out to mate with humans. He wanted a race superior to man that did not have to follow the Rules. Nephilim were created by Lucifer and Anaria. Lucifer wanted grigori children who would worship him while Anaria wanted children.
Caelum was the abode of the seraphim. When the Guardians were created, the seraphim returned to Heaven and gave the city over to the Guardians.
The Cover and Title
The cover is Rosalia all kinked out in gleaming black leather pants and boots with a cropped halter top with a lashed corset effect on the front. Her wings flared and a crossbow in one hand, this cover Rosalia is much sexier and prepped for battle than she seems in the story.
The title is Taylor’s cry…it’s all over her, she’s just covered in Demon Blood.
