Eternity Embraced

Demonica #4.5

by Larissa Ione

Desire…
Demon slayer Andrea Cole has always taken down the demons and vampires she hunts without mercy. But when a fellow slayer is captured and turned into a vampire by a sadistic monster, she must choose between loyalty to her family and the man she loves.

Versus Instinct…
Kaden Quinn has dedicated his life to slaying vampires, so when he is turned into one, his greatest nightmare comes to life. And when the woman he loves is thrown into a dungeon with him — as food — he must battle new instincts and old desires, and choose between his life, and hers.

This is a short novella that originally appeared in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 and the anthology Vampires in Love. It has been expanded for its stand-alone digital release. In the Demonica timeline, it falls between book 4, Ecstasy Unveiled, and book 5, Sin Undone, though it can be read without having read the Demonica novels.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Demons, Fantasy, Adult

44 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2011

About the author

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.

Reviews

[Alp · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars.

Very short but amazing! I finished this novella in one sitting. Larissa Ione is the best!!

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one that I hadn’t read in Larissa Ione’s fantastic Demonica Series and to be honest I don’t think I got anything amazing out of this very very short novella….44 pages!!! Really!!! I am so not a fan of short stories/novellas…most of them feel like …..shall we make a wee bit more cash out of our fans!!!! What exactly do we get out of these pages that are an important addition to the series???

Allright, so we now know how Kade Quinn, vampire slayer, is turned into one himself and how the woman he loves, Andrea Cole, vampire slayer as well, will deal with his new “status”.

We don’t get enough about these two characters to be able to truly engage with them. Their story was far too short for that.

It was a nice enough in-between in the series and I did like the little snippet of Tayla Mancuso and Eidolon, who I adored in the 1st book of this series, Pleasure Unbound….https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Monty Cupcake ☠ Queen of Bloodshed ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is all about making lemonade out of life's lemons, vampire style.

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick novella-length story set in the Demonica world and this one can totally be read as a stand-alone. Andrea and Kaden are Aegis guardians whose cell specifically targets vampires. When Kaden gets captured and turned by the very vampires they are targeting it changes everything for them. Unable to stake the man she loves who doesn’t really seem that different to what he once was. Andrea knows they will need to find a viable alternative that will mean that can be together despite Kaden’s current fangs.

This one was short and sweet, it was well-written and an enjoyable read. We do get a cameo from Tayla and Eidolon which was definitely appreciated. For me, though It wasn’t really long enough to get a real sense of Kaden and Andrea but from what I did see I liked. I’m definitely not a novella girl that’s for sure preferring full novels but this was decent enough and the romance itself was super sweet and sexy.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/

[Sophia Triad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of two demon hunters, Kaden and Andrea. When Kaden is captured by vampires and he is turned into one, he thinks that his life is over. He refuses to live, he refuses to drink blood.
Unfortunately Andrea is captured by the same vampires and she is thrown into his cell. Bloodlusted Kaden will try to keep away from her, but the hunger is consuming him.

Their love will survive this test and Andrea will convince Kaden that he is not the monster he thinks he is.

Now they just need to fight the other vampires and the other Aegi guardians who want Kaden dead.
Maybe the New York unit where Kynan and Tayla work could help them.
We will definitely see more of this couple in later books.

An excellent short story packed with action and unstoppable love.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit I like free shit. I also admit I’m not entirely rational in my thought process. For example, I happily hand over my Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime Conference fees and feel like I’ve won the lottery when I receive a bag filled with books. Seriously, this ends up being one of the major highlights of these conferences. So in my continued pursuit of this high, minus the conference fees, I have decided to scour Amazon for the best free short stories and books available. With that being said, let’s get to the review.

While ETERNITY EMBRACED packed plenty of passion into 44 pages, which should be enough to satisfy more than a few paranormal romance readers, this story still felt unsatisfying. I had trouble buying Andrea and Kaden’s relationship within this tale’s boundaries. A few more backstory details might have actually improved this story’s momentum and made all that followed a bit more realistic.

But, otherwise, it wasn’t bad, as the pace and dialogue help up fairly well. And it cost me less than an hour of my time. On the other hand, I won’t actively seek out more of this author’s work, as I didn’t exactly become more endeared toward vampires. Instead of embracing the undead, my first inclination would be to punch the unsuspecting fool and then hightail it out of there.

[Marta Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half because it’s short !
I absolutely adore the Demonica series and can’t believe that I hadn’t got round to reading this novella that connects. It’s previously been published before in anthologies but for some reason I’d missed it.
This is different because it’s not set in Underground General Hospital New York but instead the action takes place in Portland, Oregon . Andrea and Kaden are both Aegis Guardians working to protect humanity from the paranormal nasties but when Kaden is captured by Vampires a squad is sent to release him if still human or stake him if he’s been turned.
So two demon hunters who have only recently found each other and yet their relationship is still pretty much in the air. Both have suffered great loss and yet it’s clearly Kaden who has held back. Andrea so much wanted to find Kaden still human but in life you don’t always get what you wish for. Still she’s not giving up and I liked that the author had a believable solution to the problem. Plus we meet up with two old favourites but my lips are sealed. Yes it’s short but it’s still a steamy ride and it was lovely to get a little background on Kade. I feel like reading the whole series again now as I realise just how much I’ve missed this world.

[Just Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally reminded me why I adore Ione’s writing.

So well-written, catchy, intense plot, and strong characters.

Plus the vampire thing really was hot👏

I should read more vampire that’s for sure.


Read: 16/05/2020
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/sub-genres: Vampire/paranormal/romance/demons
Cover: 2 stars
POV’s: Dual 3rd person (Kaden & Andrea)
Will I recommend: Yes!

[romancelibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaden and Andrea are two slayers who've been dating for a year. But things get complicated when Kaden gets turned into a vampire.

Short, sweet, and steamy novella. It's been a year since I've read the original Demonica series, so this novella was a decent refresher for the Demonica world. I'm excited to start the Lords of Deliverance series!!

P.S. "fang-job" 💀

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the Demonica world, Andrea and Kaden are both Aegi guardians but when Kaden is turned into a vampire, Andrea is forced to kill the man she loves.

I loved the story and the only complaint is that I wish it were longer. There is some mention of the New York cell where Kynan and Tayla work, but otherwise there is no real overlapping of the others in the series.

[Jen Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is Larissa Ione doing what she does best: steaming up the pages until they are practically on fire. Amazon.com places this book before Ecstasy Unveiled but since it references the couple from that book, I think it belongs after it. It's not a big deal either way. This is really a stand-alone story with a cameo from Tayla & Eidelon at the end and can really be read at any point.

Our main characters are two demon hunters, Kaden and Andrea. Kaden has been captured by the vampires he was hunting and turned into one. Andrea goes in to find him, fearing the worst, since he is not only a fellow hunter, but also her lover. When her mission goes wrong, and she is trapped in a cell with him, she finds out he is more man than monster. In fact, they can't keep their hands off each other. But what kind of future can they have if the vamps want Andrea dead and their fellow hunters will turn on Kaden once they learn what he has become?

The original version of this short story appeared in Love Bites: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2, but the ebook version of the story has two new chapters that give it a much-needed ending. It was a quick read, but very, very sexy. Definitely worth $1.99. 4 1/2 stars.

[Mary Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaden had gone in to find the bad guy who was harboring vampires in his home. But instead of getting the bad guy, he was captured, tortured, and turned into a vampire against his will.

Andrea heard Kaden get caught and knew he was either dead or now a vampire when she and the others go in to check out the building.

When Andrea did find Kaden he's already been turned into a vampire and Kaden quickly realizes that it's a trap but not soon enough for Andrea to get out of danger. Kaden seems like the same guy he was, just with needle sharp fangs now. He's hungry and she's there stuck in the cell with him. Because Kaden loves her and she loves him even though he's now a vampire, they come up with a plan to escape.

The people they work for don't see paranormals are a good thing so he can't go back to work for them and Andrea isn't ready to let him go. So they have some changes to make in their lives but they have to find the right people to help them. I really liked the end to this book and even though it was a quick novella, it was packed with story. If you'e been reading this series anyway like I have then you should read this as well because it was really good.

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Eternity Embraced is a short novella that falls between Ecstasy Unveiled and Sin Undone in Larissa Ione’s Demonica series. A large part of the stories up to this point in the series have taken place in New York, which is where Aegis headquarters and Underworld General Hospital are located. Except for a very small part at the end, Eternity Embraced takes place on the opposite coast in Portland. It introduces readers to two new characters who I’m pretty sure haven’t been seen in any of the novels that came before it. Both Andrea and Kaden are Aegis Guardians who have also been lovers for a while when the story opens. Kaden was sent to infiltrate a clan of vampires, but ended up being captured by them instead. A couple of weeks later, Andrea and her team are sent in to see what happened and to kill the vampires. She unsurprisingly finds that Kaden has already been turned by them, but despite her Aegis training which compels her to destroy all vampires, she finds that she simply can’t kill Kaden. But when she’s locked in a cell with him in his newly turned and very hungry state, he may end up killing her instead.

Andrea has lost everyone important in her life, which plays a big part in her inability to kill Kaden even though he’s now a vampire and her training dictates that he should die. I like that she thinks for herself, though, and that her love for him is strong enough to see past what he is to find the man she loves underneath this new exterior. I also liked that despite now being a vampire, Kaden still loves Andrea and wants to protect her. Unfortunately he feels he is one of the biggest threats to her safety, which is why he insists that she kill him. But when forced into an impossible situation, I loved how his love for her keeps him in check. The fact that Andrea and Kaden are already in an established relationship when the story opens makes the rapid progression of certain elements much more believable. I also liked how they managed to skirt Aegis rules to find their HEA ending. The cameos by Tayla and Eidolon were appreciated as well. In fact, one whole scene is written from Tayla’s POV. Overall, in spite of its brevity, I found Eternity Embraced to be a very good addition to the series. Eternity Embraced was originally published in the anthology, The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2: Love Bites, but was later expanded and re-edited for a stand-alone ebook release.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eternity Embraced is a short story in the Demonica world, occurring between Desire Unchained and Passion Unleashed. I had a bit of a debate about whether to give this one a three-star rating or a four-star rating, as I would actually consider it a three-point-five star read, but in the end I opted to round down. It’s not that I disliked this story, merely that it was not quite to the same level of amazing as the rest of the series.

Eternity Embraced is a bit of a cliché in terms of storyline, but Larissa Ione does enough with it to add her own spin and integrate it into the Demonica world. It’s short and sweet, but it does enough to pull you into the storyline. You can complete it in no time at all, but you will leave satisfied with the story.

It is not a necessary story to understand the rest of the series. It is a standalone in every way possible, giving us a short story of characters we do not encounter in the main series. Due to this you can read it without having read the rest of the series, allowing you an insight into what you can expect. If you’re a fan of the series, you can read it for a step back from the main storyline, a way to stay in the world without diving deep into the main events.

However you approach this, it’s a fun little addition to the Demonica world. It may not be my favourite story in the series, but I enjoy it.

[Ronda Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! HOT!

Another great read by Larissa Ione - a world where the Ageis known as Guardians hunt down the creatures of the underworld but when one of them actually becomes one of those creatures, where do they turn? I love the fact that they still find in themselves that they still hold that sense of humanity but with intensified sences, that they still have feelings and still love, and mainly that they realize there will always be the good, the bad, and the ugly no matter what world you come from.

Great story and the erotic scene was HOT! I wanted more and couldn't believe how fast I read this short story, I litterly couldn't put it down.

[namericanwordcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Aegis has never been my favorite group in this world but this is a lovely couple coming out of the group.

It is a sweet romance of a couple that is already together when the hero becomes a vampire. I don't think the novella gives enough space to deal with the paradigm shift the that the heroine and hero need to overcome but the romance and adventure is fierece.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this story, about a Aegis couple, and yeah, really enjoyable read!

*First read July 9th, 2015*
Great short story, liked seeing more of the world, and yeah, now to read more!

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally read in May 2011 rated ★★★★

Re-Read July 2013 and still rated as ★★★★

[Il confine dei libri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buonasera lettori.
Oggi vi parlo delle due novelle raccolte in “Amore eterno” che arricchiscono la serie “Demonica” di Larissia Ione, edita Leggereditore.
La prima novella, “Abbraccio eterno”, ci racconta della storia d’amore tra due Guardiani, che verrà messa a dura prova quando Kaden verrà catturato e trasformato in vampiro.
Andrea, sua compagna e amante, farà di tutto per scoprire cosa gli sia capitato e quando lo ritroverà non potrà negare che il vampiro davanti a lei è il suo Kaden.
“Aveva creduto di poter abbattere qualsiasi vampiro senza pietà, ma Kaden non le sembrava affatto un vampiro. Sembrava ancora… Kaden. Con le zanne. Forse un tantino più minaccioso. Ma, a parte questo, era l’uomo che amava, e non poteva infilzarlo.”
Anche se non è più umano, Andrea prova ancora dei sentimenti per lui.
Per questo si ritroverà davanti ad una scelta difficile: ucciderlo come suo dovere di Guardiana o lasciarlo vivere?
La cosa più importante è uscire vivi dal covo dei vampiri, successivamente pensare alla loro storia.
Ma potrà mai avere futuro?
La seconda novella ci presenta altri protagonisti in un altro scenario.
In “Vampire Fight Club”, Vladlena, una mutaforma che lavora al UGH, si ritrova ad indagare sulla morte del fratello avvenuta in un misterioso fight club nascosto in uno dei night club più frequentati dai vampiri.
Durante un colloquio incontrerà Nathan, uno dei proprietari e sexy vampiro di cui rimane affascinata.
Nathan è un vampiro anziano e da parecchio tempo ha smesso di provare sentimenti ed emozioni; ha perso la scintilla interiore, ma appena incontra la giovane mutaforma qualcosa si risveglia in lui.
L’attrazione tra i due è forte e, notte dopo notte, sembra che Nathan stia ricominciando a vivere.
“La parte più profonda e oscura di Nate si era svegliata, e con essa il brivido della caccia. Non era stata che una piccola increspatura nella pozza di torpore nella quale stava annegando, però era come se qualcuno gli avesse lanciato un filo di vita, e lui aveva intenzione di aggrapparsi finché poteva.”
Ma i segreti tra di loro sono molti, soprattutto sulla situazione di Vladlena. Potranno mai avere un lieto fine?
Due storie diversi ma bollenti e coinvolgenti, ambientate in un mondo di cui, se siete arrivate fino a questo punto, siete innamorate.
Tra le due ho preferito la prima novella; l’unica pecca era la lunghezza. Purtroppo era troppo corta!
La prima parla di un amore per cui entrambi i protagonisti desiderano combattere e proteggere, nonostante le differenze e le difficoltà che incontreranno sul loro cammino.
La seconda parla di rinascita, di un amore che ha la possibilità di guarire se gli viene data una possibilità.
Entrambe le novelle sono ambientate nel mondo spietato e sensuale della Demonica.
Buona lettura, ci vediamo con il primo Cavaliere dell’Apocalisse, Ares, in “Il Cavaliere Eterno”.
A presto.
Voto: 4

[Tanya Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up Eternity Embraced many years ago, but it was being given away in another author's newsletter, so I ended up getting it again. If I read it way back when I first got it, it didn't make enough of an impression on me because this didn't read familiar to me at all. This was originally a novella released in a couple of anthologies, but it's length made me wonder if it could even qualify as a novella. It was extremely short and you do not get enough info on the characters to make you really care. I admit, I was happy to see Tayla and Eidolon. Their role is very small though.

If you are just looking for a quick Demonica fix, this may be what you're looking for. But it didn't raise many emotions in me at all. I could not let a Demonica book go unread though and I am not an anthology reader so I was grateful to get this one read.This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict

[Veritas666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das hier ist Band 4,5 (Novelle) der „Demonica“ Reihe von Larissa Ione.

Das Buch hat mich gut unterhalten, trotz der sehr wenigen Seiten hat es die Autorin geschafft mich zu unterhalten und mir die Charaktere näher zu bringen. Was ich wirklich als grandios finde da es nicht jeder schafft. Es ist wahnsinn und zeigt und wie tief Liebe verwurzelt ist und wieviele Hindernisse damit übersprungen werden können.

Ich mochte beide Charas sehr gerne und habe das Buch wie immer genossen. Auch das Cover war wie immer sehr schön gestaltet.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really quick read (maybe five minutes) and gave us more insight into the lives of the Aegi and the prejudice they have against demons and the like. On a mission, Kaden was turned into a vampire, but the love of his life, Andrea, doesn't care. She loves him still and wants to be with him and the safest place for them is with Tayla's cell. She and Eidolon make an appearance. The End.

[Crystal _ Reading Between the Wines Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eternity Embraced is a fast paced and entertaining novella, featuring Andrea, a feisty little slayer who’s sexy boyfriend and fellow slayer, Kayden, has been captured by vampires. She enters the vampire’s layer knowing that if he is still alive then he has been changed and she must kill him. But when she finds the same man she loved, minus a heart beat and with a new set of fangs, she is torn between what she has been trained to do and what her heart is telling her.
Andrea is determined to make a relationship with Kayden work, regardless of his changes but, having a similar experience with his past fiancé, Kayden is reluctant. Andrea must convince him that they can get through this together but also make sure he is kept safe from their fellow Aegis members who now want to hunt him down for being a vampire.

This was a great short in the demonica series. It’s listed as Demonica 3.5 so I read this before starting Ecstasy Unveiled, I didn’t think it would have anything from the forth novel mentioned. I was wrong and there was a teeny tiny spoiler at the end, nothing too serious though.
I loved the characters, the dialogue between them and the story line, a well-written full story despite being a novella. I was also excited to see Tayla & Eidolon make an appearance.

I had to mark this line down because I loved it:
“That wasn’t so bad. We kicked ass.” She holstered her stake with her trademark sexy, confident shove home. Oh yeah, he definitely appreciated a hot chick who knew how to handle wood. Pun intended.

http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...

[Heather Blair · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read something professional but light because I have been reading so much indie stuff, not that some of the indie stuff hasn't been great. But I just wanted to clear my head a bit and remind myself what 'professional' is supposed to look like.

I have heard lots of good stuff about this writer and I was hoping she would become a new fave.

Well, she won't based on this book. Not that it wasn't decent. I can see liking her style much more in a novel form where hopefully she fleshes out her characters and makes me actually care about them.

The premise of this novella is a really intriguing one, tho, even if its's been done before in PNR, this was a great new twist. But the characters just felt really flat to me, no life or spark. There were some lol one-liners that I loved and the sex was fairly well-handled, but all in all, I feel kinda meh about it.

Still, I think I will try a novel of hers, so not a total loss. :)

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the only bad thing about this novella is that it's too short but I am glad that Larissa Ione made it a bit longer than it was orginally.

It was interesting to see how Kaden, a Guardian turned Vampire, dealt with his circumstances and with Andrea, the Guardian he was/is in love with. Didn't hurt that there were some hot scenes as well. It was also nice to have a bit of Tanya and Eidolon.

[Zeek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dont know why I bother with these- the shortness of the format ends up just being a major tease and majorly frustrating with not enough payoff to boot. Thank God I didnt shell out the money for the antho this was in- I would have been P.O.'d to be sure. No emotional investment in the characters, a prdictable plot, 20 minutes to start and finish, and I was outtie.

Still, it was a Demonica, so it could have been worse. :/

[Ms. Cyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea and Kaden are both Gaurdians but when Kaden is caught and turned Andrea has to decide whether she will stick by Kaden or kill him. I enjoyed watching them realize that there is more to a person than their biology. If a person has a good soul, no matter how their bodies change, they still have a good soul.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT LONG ENOUGH!!!!!

This was a nice little Larissa Ione treat. I liked the story, and as always Ione's sense of humor.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok....way too short. :(