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Paladins of Darkness #9

Darkness on Fire

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An original eBook, this final installment in the sexy paranormal romance series features the Paladins, immortal warriors who willingly die repeatedly in an eternal battle to protect humanity—and the women they love.

When Kalith geologist Jora b'Larth notices strange seismic activity occurring around the underground energy barrier in Yellowstone National Park, she realizes someone otherworldly has been siphoning off energy. Keeping her identity under wraps, she reaches out to the enemy Paladins for help. When Paladin Penn Sebastian shows up, ready to investigate her allegations, Jora is unexpectedly attracted by his handsome face and intense blue eyes. And as they work together to solve the rift between their two worlds, something surprising happens: the two sworn enemies begin to fall in love.

137 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2011

23 people are currently reading
653 people want to read

About the author

Alexis Morgan

98 books999 followers
Alexis Morgan grew up near St. Louis and received a B.A. in English from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She and her husband have made the Pacific Northwest their home for more than thirty years, where she launched her career as a writer. She is published in paranormal romance, fantasy romance, American West historicals, and most recently, contemporary romances with her new Snowberry Creek series.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Cindy.
939 reviews19 followers
November 1, 2015
Palidans 9 - Alexis Morgan - Darkness on Fire
Alexis Morgan

This is available only as ebook at this time...

Great read with an action plot. What happens when the warrior can no longer be a warrior? Penn was injured in an earlier book and has not made a full recovery. He is still shattered at not fighting with his fellow Paladins. But when Devlin gets a mysterious call for help in Yellowstone, he asks Penn to go and meet with the unknown caller.

The caller turns out to be a female Kalith geologist whose parents bought their way into this world when she was an infant. She has very bad news - activities from people from the Kalith side of the Barrier seem to be creating an imbalance which would trigger an explosion of the Yellowstone super volcano [definitely the end of life as we know it]. The story consists of them researching the problems, ducking bad guys, fighting bad guys, and getting over their prejudices.

Larem and Baraq, Kalithan friends from Seattle who have their own books, have cameos. Their friendship has prepared Penn to accept his heroine. Jora, on the other hand, was raised by her Kalithan parents on stories of the Palidan boogeymen...

The Palidans
1. Dark Protector
2. Dark Defender
3. In Darkness Reborn
4. Redeemed in Darkness
5. Darkness Unknown
6. Defeat the Darkness
7. Bound by Darkness
8. The Darkness Beyond
9. Darkness on Fire
Profile Image for Pepito .
644 reviews1 follower
June 9, 2012
I'm not giving this book only 2 stars because I didn't like it, because I did. I just think this was a book I will immediately forget, one I found a bit boring and predictable. I just read and read and felt like nothing really was going one. Too many pages to describe the very same thing. Maybe I felt this way because this was a short novella, and it felt fast-paced and incomplete.

Then there was the Hero, Penn, which wasn't one of my favorites Paladins. I kinda had a thing against him from previous installments. I was annoyed for his actions against the 'others' who now fight with the Paladins, I just found him too irrational and judgmental. He did redeem himself when he finally accepted the Kalith warriors once and for all, though. I just thought I would like him even more when he got his own book, but I didn't. He was constantly wining about his hand injury and how he was not the warrior he used to be before it. It just got a bit too exasperating at the end. The heroine wasn't one I will remember either. She was quiet and easygoing, but she just had nothing particularly attracting. Dull would be a word to describe her.

I still love the idea of the Paladin warriors and the war they constantly fight to protect us. This is a great series and I know I will just keep reading it. I'm also extremely curious about the two Kalith Guardians from the other side.
Profile Image for Girl Reading Books Too.
779 reviews54 followers
January 18, 2016
I took a long time to get to reading book because I knew it was the last book in the series and I had a hard time letting go. In my head, it seemed to make sense that if I hadn't read the last book, it would mean it had not ended. Fortunately, Alexis Morgan recently released a short novella #9.5 in the series revisiting my beloved Paladins and I thought it was time to pick up the book. I'm glad I did.

I've always had a soft spot for Penn. He's so broken and battered but steadfast at the same time. He could have slunk off after his injury and left the Paladin world behind, instead he chose to serve in another way and even trained to fight with his non-dominant hand in order to be of use again. Penn is like all the other Paladins we have read in the series, strong, loyal, honorable. All the things a girl loves in a guy. Even though he's not on active duty, he's managed to stay fit and in shape. At the beginning of the story, Penn is feeling sorry for himself and feeling like he is living a half life. I love the fact that with Jora, he's found a mate and also a person who makes him feel whole again, that he doesn't need his sword arm to have something to offer.

I thought Jora was adorable. Wary and skittish to begin with, but also smart and brave. I loved the way Penn described her. Not like the other Kalith warrior woman he knew but that she was "nice". I thought that was so cute. She had a sense of right and wrong which made her reach out to the Paladins for help even though at the end of it, she was the one who does the fixing. I liked that Jora knew what she wanted and went for it, especially when Penn balked, she didn't let him run off but went after him.

This story moved quickly for me. I was surprised when it ended as I didn't realise it was novella length rather than a full length novel. Even so, with Ms Morgan's style of writing and her pacing, I ate up the words very rapidly. I was sorry when it ended. I'm glad I have Emmett's story up next.
Profile Image for Laura.
Author 15 books613 followers
July 15, 2012
Review posted at Demon Lover's Books & More

3.5 flames

In this novella, Penn Sebastian, the warrior who nearly lost his hand when it was severed by an Other, is given a mission. A real mission, not just busy work. His sword arm is still weak, but he's getting better with his left arm. He's just not good enough to go back to active duty protecting the barrier.

A phone call comes in from an anonymous source that they are needed in a normally inactive section of the barrier. But no one knows why the woman is behaving so nervously.

When he meets Jora, he is shocked by two main things. 1, she is an Other, a Kalith. 2, she inspires feelings of protection, not rage.

Jora's parents left their world and settled on earth where Jora was raised. Her parents never really adapted, and told Jora horror stories of the Paladin warriors who kill her kind who seek the light (her home world is dark). Calling in the Paladins is like calling up her own personal bogeyman and inviting him into her home.

The problems they have to overcome are more than just being natural enemies, but also to see why someone has been tampering with the Barrier in the middle of one of the world's largest supervolcanoes (the Yellowstone Caldera). They also needed to figure out who was working against them-if it was humans, Others, or both. I was happy Penn found that he doesn't have to be a warrior to be worth something.

One of my favorite things about this series is that it's a paranormal romance without vampires, shifters, angels, or demons. Don't get me wrong, I love each and every one of those kinds of characters, but every now and then, it's nice to read a PNR that's different.

A good addition to the Paladins of Darkness series.
Profile Image for Paraphrodite.
2,671 reviews51 followers
January 18, 2012
As with most novellas, I guess it is difficult to see a developing relationship between the hero and heroine. In this case, Penn (the wounded Paladin) and Jora (the transplanted Kaliath) had a pretty instantaneous romantic relationship.

The Paladin world is changing and instead of blindly killing any "Other" who crosses the border, these days there is almost a grudgingly respectful relationship between the Paladins on this side and the Kaliath Guardians on the other side. I'm hoping there will be more adventures into the other side though. The "alien" world seems quite interesting!

On the whole, a nice teaser in between full length books.
Profile Image for Julie.
341 reviews14 followers
September 13, 2011
A quick read but another great Paladin book. It's great to see Penn happy after everything he's been through. I do wish we could have everyones reaction when he went back to Seattle tho especially his sister.

I don't know why in the book description it says this is the final book in the series. Alexis has stated in her blog that she's not finished with the Paladins but will take a break for a bit. This is understandable since she's put out 3 Paladin books this year. If you havn't read this series yet it's a good one.
Profile Image for Michelle the Romance Witch.
2,534 reviews74 followers
September 21, 2011
a really great quick story and i really hope its not the end of the series. Penn has always been one of my favorites in the series and im so happy that he finally found the happiness he deserves. Go Penn!!!
Profile Image for Cindy.
123 reviews
March 3, 2014
sadly I finished the last in the series. GREAT series.
Profile Image for Amara Lebel.
Author 9 books22 followers
June 10, 2017
In this instalment of the series Penn Sebastian finally gets a break! Unable to live his life as he wishes due to a debilitating injury, he’s forced to play watchman to the Paladin’s. Yet following a weird anonymous phone call, he gets the chance to go in and investigate. Turns out that the caller is actually a Kalith female who has an infinity for the rock, and who has discovered a plot to rob Earth of its resources in order to bring light to Kalithans. . . only problem is, it has the potential to destroy both worlds.

Action and suspense ensue as Penn and Jora, with the help of Barak and Larem, try to prevent the dangers brought on by the sickly barrier. And of course, there is the romance, as Jora brings out feelings of protection and love from her handsome Paladin. She makes Penn feel needed, secure in himself, and useful. Now if that doesn’t make for a good read, what does?
Profile Image for Christa Paige.
Author 12 books339 followers
July 12, 2017
I didn't realize how much I missed the Paladins until I read this book. It was a fun read, taking me to Yellowstone. I thought that was super cool because I visited Yellowstone this past summer. Penn is injured and because of that he struggles with losing his manly-man strength. His ability to fight is compromised. He still has that growly alpha male need to protect his mate and that's what I love about the Paladins. Totally enjoyed all the scenes with the Paladins in the cave, swords drawn and ready to fight. I read this book quickly and now I am sooooo excited to see that there are going to be more coming out in 2018. Now, I am going straight to Amazon and grabbing Darkness Torn Asunder.
22 reviews1 follower
May 26, 2017
It's not as intense as the other Paladin books, but it is a good addition to the lineup. There are new developments between the two worlds, and I really liked the mystery element that added to this story.

For the romance and individual character reviews. I liked both characters. Penn has grown a lot throughout the series, and you get to see the world through his eyes finally. Jora is a strong, intelligent character that is easy to enjoy.

I'm looking forward to the next one in the series to see what is around the corner for the Paladin/Regents organization.
Profile Image for Stephani.
153 reviews2 followers
January 12, 2020
Penn Sebastian and Jora make a very good couple. The storyline is a good one, the characters are well developed. But that development has been made over the series and not through this book. It is a good book, but if this was the very first book I ever read from A.M., I do not know I would read another one.
Next Up Darkness Torn Asunder
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,334 reviews2 followers
February 10, 2020
Happy for Penn, but I an stuck on Jora's name of b'Larth. It makes me think of Blart, so I laugh every time I read it. A good, if a little weird story. The barrier, if damaged, creates a portal, and it's just a little weird for me. Part of the world though, and now I'm wondering if this situation will pop up again. Also, stealing our geothermal energy? Really?
Profile Image for Alice.
174 reviews4 followers
June 23, 2018
I love the Paladin series.

This was a very good book but way to short. A Paladin and an Other fall in love an fight together to save both worlds. I am looking forward to the new book.
Profile Image for Susan Cook.
358 reviews
August 25, 2019
Good read

Another story in Alexis Morgan’s Paladins series. This one was however too similar in plot to others in the series and as such was a little too predictable. i hope the next book is better.
Profile Image for Quiqui.
231 reviews18 followers
January 23, 2019
I'm confused. It's the last book but nothing was resolved. Who is the leader of the bad guys. What is the point of the blue stones? Ugh
Profile Image for Melindeeloo.
3,268 reviews158 followers
September 14, 2011
Since his disabling injury, Paladin Penn Sebastian (Lacy's brother) is no longer is able to fight along side of his brothers, though Penn still has the soul of a warrior - and has spent his time wallowing in self pity for what he's lost. But when a request comes for a Paladin to investigate trouble with a barrier near Yellowstone National Park, finally being able to make a useful contribution is just the thing to help Penn regain a sense of purpose and when he meets the mysterious informant, the connection Penn feels with his surprising new ally provides good reason to finally leave the "pitty party" behind.

Though Darkness on Fire worked for the most part as a short - my only minor nit is that the "I love you's" and the happily ever after come fast, when I would have been as happy with just the "promise" of those - there really was enough good stuff in place to have made a good novel. There are cameos by Larem and Baraq who's friendship has prepared Penn to accept his heroine, a decent evil plot to foil, and just enough steamy stuff to fit the short space, so what's here was good - I am just greedy and would have loved more of Penn's heroine.

Despite my covetous nature, I did really enjoy this Paladin novella, which sadly, according to Morgan's newsletter, is the last Paladin release that she has planned. However since Darkness on Fire doesn't really end up being a wrap up of the series, I'll keep hoping that in addition to a few more little members only shorts she's promised to post on her website, someday we'll get lucky and Morgan will get to revisit the series - there are still a few warriors waiting in the wings for their turn in the spotlight.
Profile Image for Alex (HEABookNerd).
2,449 reviews
March 15, 2024
Kalith Jora b'Larth knows it's a huge risk to contact the Paladins but she has no choice -- someone is messing with the barrier in Yellowstone and they could bring the whole thing down if they're not careful. When Penn Sebastian shows up, Jora is surprised to find he's nothing like the stories her parents told her about Paladins. Penn has struggled ever since an injury to his sword hand took him out of commission and he finally feels like this mission is a chance to prove he's still a Paladin. We've seen a lot of growth in Penn over the course of this series so I was happy to see him get his own story in DARKNESS ON FIRE.

After being injured, Penn was filled with anger and aggression and this wasn't helped when his sister got involved with a Kalith warrior. A lot of Penn's progress happens prior to this book so he's mostly settled by the time he meets Jora though he's still reconciling his worth as a Paladin. I liked both Penn and Jora and felt they had pretty good chemistry though most of it's based on insta-love. Jora comes across as very sweet and innocent but she also clearly has a backbone so I liked that about her character. Things move quickly through the book but overall it's a shorter read then prior books in the series.

I'm not sure if I'm getting fatigued by this series but I feel that the later books just aren't as good as the earlier ones. While the world is still growing and developing the Paladins themselves are getting a bit two dimensional. I would have loved more of Penn's history to really bring him to life; we get more with Jora but it's still pretty surface level.
Profile Image for Theresa.
4,128 reviews16 followers
September 4, 2018
Penn Sebastian’s story. This one’s different in that it takes place outside both Seattle and St’ Louis.
Devlin gets a call that there’s a problem in Yellowstone and sends Penn to deal with it and the Kalithian geologist who found the problem.

I love how Jora is just a regular female Kalithian and not a warrior and that she has been living on earth. It gives insight into the lives of the Kalithians who managed to make it to earth. Though she is nothing but ordinary.

Why did this series have to end just when it was really getting interesting? The first few books were good, but basically just laid the foundation for the series storyline. Now that it’s spreading out, it’s ending. The blue garnets things hasn’t really been solved, the Kalithians still are having problems with the world getting darker and their people going crazy. Plus there’s tons of other things that could be done with the story.

But, if you’re interested, there are some free short stories on the author’s website that continue the series (I'm guessing Ms. Morgan's publisher didn't want to continue the series). Lonzo Jones’s story is one of them, along with stories with Cody, Berk and more.

Footnote: 1) I love how each of these couples, after deciding they love each other, got married.

Fave scenes: Jora relieving the cave’s pressure and Lacy’s cookies.
11 reviews
July 28, 2016
I say this not because I didn't like the book because I did, but it almost felt like this one was an after thought. Like there was one more story to tell in their universe, but it could have also easily been a stand alone. I think it was like a plot bunny that wouldn't leave her alone. Not to say it wasn't good. However, it occurs after the main series arch has been wrapped up. Plus, why didn't Lonzo or Jake get a girl???

I love her characters and her snarky sense of humor. I have a hard time not giggling out loud.
The books are quick reads, but I did still have nights where I had to tell myself, 'Look, you need sleep. The last fifty pages can wait.'

I can guarantee, I'll be picking up the series again at some point.
Profile Image for Angela.
1,711 reviews42 followers
September 18, 2011
Since this was the final book in the series it should have been longer. After all the angst Penn had about his injury and worthlessness he felt, he should have had more time devoted to him then a story that was about 2-3 days. I was really looking forward to seeing Penn redeem himself in his own eyes and I guess finding love with Jora, a Kalith, he did.
Profile Image for Tamis Guarnero.
591 reviews85 followers
January 18, 2013
Que demonios paso con estos dos ultimos libros en verdad me hicieron sufrir, en serio como es posible que Penn quiera abandorar todo si se supone que es su vida y que Jora no lo entendiera en verdad este libro me hizo casi no querer seguir leyendolo ¬¬

pd: Como no puede haber libro de Lonzo eso es una tragedia :P
Profile Image for Tammy Sargeant.
624 reviews8 followers
April 21, 2015
Ugh this book felt so rushed to me. I enjoyed the series but this finale did nothing for me. It was insta-love between Jora and Penn. Two nights of sex and they were in love already. -_- Really? The story was bleh and we didn't even get to say goodbye to the other couples. This one felt like a total let down.
Profile Image for MountainKat.
2,340 reviews107 followers
April 17, 2015
*4- Stars*

I liked this and was surprised how much of this world I remembered after so long - it's been a couple of years since I read this series. I thought it was a bit rushed, probably because it was a novella. Not how I expected Penn's story to go, but I was happy with it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews

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