The Devil's Angel

by Christine Alvarez

**WARNING**
The Devil’s Angel is not intended for the faint of heart. It is violent, dark and focuses on a very warped blood fetish.
The heroine is hard, confident and learns the hard way that what she is has limits, and what she craves is beyond what she has ever wanted.
The hero is far from a hero. He is a depraved sociopath who has a craving for blood and violence that goes beyond his vampire nature. Hero wouldn’t even be the appropriate title. More like the destroyer.
The first book in a Burned and Broken Happily Ever After it is intended for readers 18+. It contains death, knife play, anal, and same sex encounters. There are parts that are uncomfortable and down-right horrific. If you can handle that by all means proceed, but you have been warned.

He is the Devil.
Hell is a relative term, but from the moment Alistair Drake stepped into my office I was on my way. I have been taught from as early as I could remember that vampires should be nothing but dust in the wind, but his sly grin and commanding presence helped weave his web pulling me within. The methods nothing less than masterful, wound in such a way that I couldn’t feel when escape was nothing but a memory. He holds more questions than answers but as his pain turns to pleasure and his pleasure turns to pain none of that seems like it matters.
She is my Angel.
Heaven is transcendent, but with Angel Mae heaven was imminent. Her hybrid makeup feeds my unique pleasures. She is the perfect toy to add to my collection but to acquire something such as her doesn’t come without risk. The very blood that pulses just beneath her perfect skin chips away at my control. The monster that had been so expertly reigned in pounds harder at its escape. As her pain becomes my pleasure and I become her pain none of that seems to matter.
He is the Key.
The mark, Lorcan McRevve, the right hand man to the devil himself was supposed to be the key to escaping a prison I’m not even sure I want to escape. The secrets that he holds and the secrets that unfold may prove to be too much. Will tracking him down be worth it or will both men use the power of blood, pain, pleasure and seduction to hold me in a prison that may shatter the already fragile divide of two worlds that I have worked so hard to balance?

Genres: Paranormal, Dark

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2015

Reviews

[Klaire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gifted for an honest Review – 3 ½ to 4 stars
Apparently I signed up to review this book but I don’t remember as it really isn’t one I would have chosen to read, I don’t read about vampires and paranormal stuff. I used to but find I struggle to get into them. However, I’m glad the mistake was made as I actually got into this book and enjoyed it. It isn’t without its issues but it is a book worth reading if you like that kind of thing. Christine is a new author to me and I think I want to read the book that follows on from this, it does leave you on a bit of a cliff hanger. Not the worst I’ve had but you are left with more questions than answers.
This is quite an intense read; it really is quite dark and has its fair share of depravity in it. Obviously in dealing with a vampire story you get the pre-requisite blood scenes which are graphic in nature as are the sexual scenes in this book. I struggled a little with those scenes but not for the reason you may be thinking, I can stomach to read almost anything but the sexual scenes in here were so frantic and messy I found it really hard to keep up. I understand that probably served to enhance the intensity of their relationship but it really was a struggle to read and enjoy those scenes. The softness and intimacy does come later in quite a lovely M/F/M scene towards the end.
I got this book, I understood the dynamics fairly well, and the relationships seemed to be almost straight forward. However it is a complex book when you figure in all the ways in which these characters are bound to one another. The development is not too bad, but I wasn’t sure I was quite on board with either of the main characters in all honesty. However I did enjoy Lorcan’s character, but he is a late comer so I didn’t have the privilege of reading about him till later on. I do think he will play a major role in the second book. I did really like the character names; they had an ancient feel to them, which fits with the storyline.
So for me, whilst a good book, it was a little messy in places and at times confusing trying to fit everything together. I do want the next part though and I’m happy to have read this!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil’s Angel is the first book in a series called Beyond Blood. Let me just say first that while there are dark, depraved sexual scenes, the story of this book is so much more than that! The main character, Angel, is a dhampir, half human, half vampire who has focused her life on ridding this world of monsters. She’s a hunter, and descendent of a very well-known, very-powerful hunter family. Immediately, you feel the sense of struggle that she lives with daily being half kind of monster that she was born to kill. Very few of her kind exist, and Alistair Drake wants her.

Alistair is a beautiful, powerful, successful businessman…and vampire. Not just any vampire, perhaps the most depraved, bloodthirsty, psychotic vampire in existence. Even so, you want so badly to like him…but…it’s almost impossible! Once Alistair enters Angel’s life, her world and her sanity will never be the same! Christine Alvarez has created a dark, sadistic world of sex, blood, and hunger that grabs you from the opening sentence and relentlessly holds onto you until the very last period. She expertly takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotion…anger…hate…hope…fear…shock…you name it, you feel it! The final moments of this book made me gasp out loud in shock! It was a ride that I didn’t want to love…but I did…a lot more than I should’ve! Then…I had to go take a shower!

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of the disclaimer is absolutely correct, definitely not for the faint of heart The Devil's Angel is dark and twisted as promised. I kind of hate myself for loving the book so much. That being said Angel is definitely a strong character, a female warrior who just happens to have the fortune (or misfortune) of being half vampire. She contends with her monster everyday to keep her human side in the forefront and the part of her in control until she is hired for a job by a vampire named Alistair. Alistair is no ordinary vampire, he's ancient and always gets what he wants through any means necessary and in this case what he wants is Angel. To complete the job and give Alistair what she wants and gain information on the father she's never known, Angel will take risks that break her control and feed her monsters desires as she gives into pleasure and pain.

The Devil's Angel is definitely a hot read as it explores the line between pleasure and pain, sometimes literally smashing that wall down. The battle between wanting something that's not healthy for you but you just can't resist compelled me page after page. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
While I really enjoyed this story and its dark depravity, I sometimes felt like I had missed a book before this one... This says it's book 1, but I didn't fully understand a few things in this world, or the reactions from the characters to different situations. Sometimes something significant would happen, but with little to no build up, so it was just like, 'Bam'-done! And I was left thinking, 'whoa, wait a minute, what?'
I truly did enjoy the story, and found it very entertaining. The sex and darkness fit the story, and the blood play was as it should be because, hey, vampires :P

[Lynde Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intense and wild ride. A little outside my comfort zone a few times, but written well. I am on the fence with how I feel about these characters. Alistair, because, well let's face it, there's some bad juju flowing through that vamp. Angel, because she should know better. And Lorcan, because so should he. I liked that Christine wrote a book that made me uncomfortable. This is the kind of book that people talk about and remember and say to their other reader friends, "OMG, I don't know what the hell I just read. You read it and tell me what's your opinion!"

[Alwaysreadingbooks - Reading Drinking and Relaxing · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

As the warning in this book says this is not for the faint of heart. I love a dark read but this one was darker than what I normally read but I did enjoy this book. At First I was a little skeptical about reading this but since I'm a fan of dark reads I had to read this and I must say that it was worth it. The story line kept my attention and the ending OMG I don't know what else to say but I can't wait for the next installment in this series so I can see what will happen next.

[K. J. Coakley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to put this book down and come back to it with a clear head. I have to be in a certain mood for this kind of read, but once I was there...I was hooked.

It's dark. It's depraved. But it's good! I'm a little on the fence with the way it ended, but I'll definitely be coming back for more when the second book releases. Good job!

[Twinsie Talk Angie J · Rating 5 out of 5]

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The Devil's Angel (Beyond Blood Book 1) by Christine Alvarez

I purchased this book at an author signing when the author told me all about this series. I had never read anything from her and the whole paranormal, dark and erotica thing had me sold.

Holy Moly….ok yeah the warnings….you should prolly not read this book if you get a bit nervous about those because they are most definitely present in the book. I didn’t think they were THAT bad but you may!! I will warn ya, Alistair is a sociopath and so yeah….not a good guy..so yeah he does bad, bad, bad things to people!!

I was sold on this series when the author told me erotic and paranormal then she said dark……yup it hit all the components I was hoping for. Alistair is a very old vampire with secrets galore. He hires Angel, the vampire/monster killer to help her find a missing “child” of his and some things the child took.

Angel and her bestie Jane know something is not right, but Angel goes and gets into business with the guy against her better judgement. Angel is half human and half vampire. Her vampire side aka her monster is calling to her and to him which causes all kinds of future issue for our girl.
Alistair seems to know more about Angel and her vampire hunting family then even she knows. He also has some connections to her past that she will do anything to learn. However, anything means she will be mating with the devil himself to get to the bottom of the truth.

This book has so many plot twists and turns but sweet baby Jesus…the sexy time scenes were HAWT….like WOW hawt. I mean *Eyes bugging out* Did they do THAT!! Did they have THEM join in??? Holy hot tamale!!!!

So the end of the book left us with a giant GASP moment and I am so going to download book 2 because I am dying to know what is happening to Angel, Jane, Alistair and the rest of the crew.

[Sherry Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a copy through instafeebie. Writing a voluntary review.

When I started the book I was expecting it to be dark (there was an author warning.) Personally didn't feel it was dark read. To me it was written as if rough sex and blood play are normal occurrence. Don't get me wrong, the scenes were gruesome. I felt the writer wrote the book in such a fashion that it read like it was an everyday normal. Vampires don't feel pain like humans so sex would be aggressive in order to achieve a response from his or her body. Plus vampires always equal blood. The story itself kept me reading and when it finished I needed more to understand things I have questions about. The cliffhanger is a whooper. Will definitely read next book.

[Lorax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the squeamish

I am a fan of dark reads, and this one was an interesting one. I am glad the author listed a warning about blood fetish. I am not into knife play but with the warning I was able to move past it. The fetish aside the story kept me interested. Allot went on, plot, characters, sex but only enough to keep you guessing and let you know that so much more was to come. I look forward to the next book.

[Sonya Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through a Facebook event.

The author begins the book with a warning of the contents. It is a dark book with explicit sexual content. But it has a great storyline and is written well.

Angel is a powerful being that is trying to mix in with the human world, yet keep one foot in her other world by ridding it of all vampires. Her humanity keeps her in check, along with her human friend, Jane. Jane is her best friend who she cares deeply for. They work together as private investigators and live together. This is her human job.

Angel's aunt, Althea, is very powerful in Angel’s other world and gives her marks to kill each night. Angel is not a fan of her aunt, but is more than willing to kill the disgusting monsters for her, even though a monster lies within her as well. Her mother fell in love with a vampire and this was the demise of both of her parents, as the story is told by her aunt, but a stranger enters her life and Angel soon finds that the truths as she knows it, are all lies.

The eccentric stranger hires Angel to locate someone for him. After their first meeting, she knows that he is a vampire and it is a rule that she does not work with vampires. But when her and Jane research the individual, her father appears in a photo with him. She takes the case just so she can find out more about her father.

Alistair, the stranger, proves to be a weakness to her inner monster. He wants dominion over Angel and uses whatever manipulation he can to cater to the monster inside of her. He is a monster and there is no tactic he will not use to draw the desires of the monster out of Angel. He does promise her that he has information about her father and this keeps her going back to the case and Alistair.

While Angel fights for her humanity, she still tries to focus on the case at hand and find the missing individual for Alistair. Once she finds Lorcan, her human side is taken by him. But Alistair holds all the cards and his manipulation knows no bounds to get what he wants--from both Lorcan and Angel.

This is a well written story and the author does a wonderful job in her descriptions and individualizing each character. The sex is very graphic, as warned by the author, and there is a blood fetish by one of the characters that is also very brutal. This is fiction and the roles portrayed by non-human beings fit very well with the fiction world she has created.

Even if the sex is something you would rather not read, the storyline is worth the read. The author ends with an explosive cliffhanger that will have you contacting the author asking when the next book will be out!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, twisted, and so very gruesome, The Devil’s Angel is nothing like any other book I have ever read. Alistair is not a hero at all, but a psychopath that gets off on one thing and always gets what he wants. No matter who, or what, he hurts. He is also a very old vampire with secrets. I liked parts of him and hate myself for it. Angel is half vampire and half human. She never knew her father until Alistair sends a note and a check for a very large sum of money for her private investigating services. He wants her to find his missing “child”, Lorcan, and the paper he stole from him. Upon researching her new client, her assistant and best friend finds a photo of Alistair and his business partner – a male carbon copy of Angel. Angel wants more information about her father from Alistair, but he tells her that comes with a price. His price is her – as his servant, lover, concubine, and mate. She wants no part of the vampire life, but Angel’s lust takes over and Alistair gets a hold on her and won’t let go. While Angel is trying to find Lorcan, Alistair is trying to reign her in and make her his.

This book was full of horrific scenes that were important to moving and creating the story. I absolutely hated and was disgusted by them, yet they fascinated me in a way that makes me cringe. I hate myself for loving it so much! The intensity of the scenes still give me the chills! I have a feeling that Lorcan is a just a piece of a complicated puzzle and that this tale is not over.

The Devil’s Angel comes with a very detailed warning by the author. If any of the things mentioned bother you at all, then this is not the book for you. However, if you are at all intrigued by what it is about, I HIGHLY recommend giving it a go.

*Copy provided for review

[Shayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow....This was definitely not for the faint of heart, it even those of a regular heart-definitely need a strong disposition for this one. For starters, I'll warn that if you're very squeamish, can't handle a LOT of death, or are triggered by: torture, blood games, knife play, extreme alcoholic consumption, anal sex, or homosexual acts; you might want to go buy Christine's Aconite series (great reads but not so dark). Otherwise, let's get into the meat of this.
Though it's dark; the characters, the scenarios, and everything blends well. Angel is the life the antithesis of a heroine; a hunter of ghouls, vampires and other baddies that go bump in the night who happens to be a dhampir: half Hunter family line and half the evil she fights, vampire. By day she also works as a PI with her kick ass, hacker best friend and roommate, Jane.
Their investigation office gets a request to hire their services in finding a missing man and the document that went missing with him. The catch is their client is Alistair- an ancient, powerful, and darkly depraved vampire who happens to have information on Angel's vampiric father. He's willing to give her what she wants, if she'll give him what he wants.....her. Her blood, her body, her soul, everything about her.
The hunt is on to find Lorcan and the battle to win has begun. This book ended differently than I thought but in a way leaving me salivating for book two even as I feel like i need a shower, hot but almost ashamed of it.

[Chelly Peeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so let me start out by saying there is a warning at the beginning of this book for good reason…

Angel is no angel by any stretch of the term, she comes from a long line of vampire hunters, and she’s damn good. It may have something to do with the fact that she’s half vampire herself. She’s also a private investigator for hire.

An odd request for a job and a check for half a million dollars leads to her meeting Alistair, who just happens to be a vampire. It doesn’t sit well with her working with the enemy but he peaks her curiosity, especially since he knows who her father is. The biggest downside? He brings out a side to her she doesn’t want to acknowledge and works hard to keep locked down.

To say Alistair is into BDSM is a massive understatement. He’s a freak with serious perversions and Angel is the only person strong enough to satisfy his “needs”. Add in the investigation, some other interesting characters being introduced, murders and more clues being unearthed, and this story makes for a wild ride. I can’t really go into it any further without giving stuff away.

Alistair is not a hero, he’s not a character you grow to love. Or at least he’s not one that you will admit to loving because that would make you just as screwed up as he is. The Devil’s Angel is dark, it’s scary, it’s bloody, but it’s still sexy and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very dark read. It has elements of paranormal and romance but it is neither nor is it horror. There is no one genre that it fits but I liked it. I hated that is ended on a cliffhanger.

The characters are complex as is the storyline. Angel is hired to find Lorcan and a stolen document he supposedly has. Alistair has run out of options plus he wants her. He likes to play games and Angel is no game player. He will control the game and her but she's not cooperating.

I like Angel. She is a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners broad. Alistair may have come up against the one person who may beat or break him. I hope so. I don't want to see Angel broken or defeated by Alistair or Lorcan. Their problem is only hinted at but I expect it to be fleshed out as the series continues. It seems more than a control issue.

Feelings are underground here between these three but THE DEVIL'S ANGEL sets the groundwork for this series. I hope the next book comes quickly.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Truly a dark fascinating twist beyond the paranormal. Going in even with the warning this book truly tests your limits but has you wanting more!

[Christine Villano · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this sick twisted story can not wait to see what happens with angel and lorcan , are they strong enough to break the bond of their master Allistar . starting book 2 now