'Stephen' is the fourth book in Kathi S. Barton's "Samuel's Pride" series. It seems to me that every one of the members of this pride has been holding secrets. Stephen is a three-thousand-year-old vampire. He has loved and lost within his life without ever finding a mate and after what he's experienced, he has no inclination of taking one now after all this time. He's perfectly happy with the way life is right now. Except, he's really not. Clairice, aka Clar, was in the car when her mom was carjacked and killed when she was a child. Not only that but she saw who was there and ultimately tried to kill her. Now she has magical powers she can't explain and is, quite frankly, she's tired of men using her for their own benefit and her being abused. Her step-father's actions resulted in the straw that broke the camel's back causing her to run and she hasn't stopped since. He's arrogant and demanding while she's prickly and cold, at least that's what they project to those around them but when these two come together from the chemistry it's explosive. It's a shame they don't like each other. Now the stepfather is after Clar and Velvet December, and a vampiress with a score to settle is after Stephen. There's plenty of action, drama, and angst surrounded by loyalty, chemistry, and love in this storyline. It's a great addition to the series.