"Not your ordinary vampire or werewolf."

A deathbed promise to her father has Dark on a mission to join with the vampesi Lucavarious, leader of his kind. Dark is a wolfen, what we would refer to as werewolf. Her father's ambition to join the two races is opposed by many of both their races, and by humans, but Dark is the hereditary leader of her people and Lucavarious is the undisputed leader of his.

The power struggle between Dark and Lucavarious--a "born" vampesi, not vampire--and their bedroom antics are humorous. Lucavarious is feeling every one of his 400-plus years while trying to satisfy his young bride, who is "in heat". And BB, his blood bank human, is jealous and is in danger of becoming Dark's afternoon snack. With both families unhappy with the union, unknown parties attempting to stop Dark from conceiving a child, and Dark's hormones playing havoc with everyone's life, there is lots going on both in and outside the bedroom.

While different from the normal vampire romance (such as Feehan's Dark series), I enjoyed this book and would encourage others to give Ms. Burke a try.

Rated NC-17 by Ellora's Cave.

Reviewed by Tressa Harvey
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted February 1, 2003

Summary

Lucavarious. Leader of the Vampesi. Sexy. Erotic. Dangerous. Only he can ignite the passions in his promised mate, Dark. Dark. Leader of the Wolfen Clans. Innocent. Exotic. Frightened. Only she can ease the passions in her promised mate, Lucavarious. Vampesi. The word alone strikes terror into the hearts of the beings left on earth after the war of the Supernatural. They are the legendary monsters, the creatures of legend, and Dark's only hope. Wolfen. The name alone sends what remaining Humans are left on earth racing for protection and the Vampesi preparing for war. The Contract. A plan to unite the two warring races. Through Dark's marriage to... Lucavarious. Rated Hard R/borderline NC-17. Genre: Futuristic/Fantasy.