Love at First Bite

Wild Wulfs of London #2.5 - The Forgotten One

by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Contributor), L.A. Banks (Contributor), Susan Squires (Contributor)

PRIMAL KISSES, EROTIC SECRETS. ETERNAL PASSION.
Sink your teeth into these sexy paranormal stories from some of today's hottest authors.

Until Death We Do Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Over five hundred years ago, Esperetta’s soul was bound to her husband’s by dark magic, and when Velkan became a Dark-Hunter, to her horror, she became immortal as well. Now, they must come together to fight an old enemy…and the passion that threatens to consume them once more.
NOTE: This story has been re-released in the Dark Bites anthology

Ride the Night Wind by L.A. Banks
Dark dreams haunt Jose Ciponte, dreams of a woman so beautiful he aches for her-and a deadly enemy who stalks them in the night. And now those dreams have become a reality…

The Gift by Susan Squires
All Major Davis Ware wants to do is propose to the beautiful Emma Fairchild. Instead, he is called back into battle, and a desperate fate. And Emma will venture into hell itself to save him.

The Forgotten One by Ronda Thompson
Lady Anne Baldwin longs to break free from her proper bonds. When she meets the mysterious Merrick, whose eyes glow like a wolf’s, she may have found more than she bargained for.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Anthologies, Vampires, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

373 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 3, 2006

About the author

Official Author site
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New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn

Fan Run International Sites:

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Reviews

[Exina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read only Until Death We Do Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

"Let me guess, Velkan wants to see me?"
"No. The only thing His Highness would like to see in regards to you, Princess, is your disembowelment."

It is a Romeo and Juliet story embedded into the Dark-Hunter Universe.

The main characters are Esperetta, daughter of Vlad Tepes, and Velkan Danesti, once a sorcerer, now a Dark-Hunter with shape-shifting abilities. They were enemies by families but fell in love and got married in secret more than five hundred years ago. Both of their families disowned them, and after a tragic chain of events, Retta ran away from Velkan.



The story is very tense from the beginning: what happened to Esperetta in fact? Can she believe Velkan? Who is the real monster? Which one is real: their mutual hatred or desire?



Dignity and pride don’t allow them to express their feelings. They are both unbelievably stubborn not to reach for each other for five centuries. It is just unimaginable for a mortal like me to waste so much time.



Anyway, it is nicely worked-out, both for the main and the secondary characters. Aside from one little mistake in the plot ( as Velkan bonded his life force with Esperetta’s, he should have died when her father stabbed Retta), it is a great story. Don’t miss it!

My favorite quotes.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth be told I only bothered to read Until Death Do We Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon from this anthology.

This novella in the Dark-Hunter universe was a decent enough read without being anything special. It was a weird mix of the Dracula myth and Romeo & Juliet.

This is the story of husband and wife, Velkan and Esperetta, who have been avoiding each other since a tragic misunderstanding 500 years in the past. They are flung back together as Esperetta comes on the radar of some of Velkan's enemies.

It was a decent enough read. It would likely have been better if it was a full sized novel and the characters had longer to grow on me. Their story was interesting, but they never really resonated with me as characters to care for.

Rating: 3 stars.

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Until Death We Do Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Considering that the heroine of Until Death We Do Part is supposed to be the daughter of Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula, I thought this novella had some promise, but sadly, it didn't end up drawing me in as much as I believe it could have if there had been more depth in the plot and characters. I felt like the story was overburdened with mysticism and mythology. In addition to all the usual Dark-Hunter/Were-Hunter/Dream-Hunter mythology, the hero is also a sorcerer and shape-shifter (not a Were-Hunter). While it might seem that this would add a new and interesting dimension to the mythos, I found that it tended to muddy the waters more than anything by making it possible for the characters to do pretty much whatever they wanted. I think that if this had been a stand-alone novella without the Dark-Hunter elements or a Dark-Hunter novella without the other stuff, it would have been a tighter and clearer story. I also felt like the author waited a little too long to explain what precisely had separated Velkan and Esperetta all those years ago. Right up until the end, I was only able to speculate through inference as to why they even considered taking the sleeping potion. Unfortunately, this only added to my confusion. Additionally, the author just about drove me batty with her overuse of the word “it'd” which in my opinion is a clunky contraction, and the editing in general left something to be desired with lots of clumsily worded sentences and confusing passages that even after re-reading, still felt like something was missing.

As for the characters, I liked Velkan, but there weren't enough details about him to make him a true stand-out hero. He was kind of the typical Dark-Hunter who'd been wronged, tortured and killed in his human life and then sold his soul to Artemis for his act of vengeance. I felt sorry for everything he'd been through, especially since he'd done it all for Esperetta only to have her completely turn her back on him for 500 years. I could understand how she might have gotten the wrong idea about Velkan's actions, considering all that she had been through herself and with her having been raised in a very sheltered environment, she was probably rather naïve. However, by all accounts Velkan had been an amazing husband, treating her with the utmost kindness and respect in spite of being a hardened medieval warrior, and she supposedly had loved him as deeply as he had loved her. With that in mind, I found it hard to believe that she would run away without at least giving him a chance to explain. Also, since stories abounded about the cruelty of her father, it was even more difficult to fathom that in all those centuries, she hadn't even considered that she might have been wrong about Velkan. In my opinion, 500 years was taking the dreaded “big misunderstanding” a little too far. Not to mention, when Retta's current venomous sarcasm was added to the mix, it all made her seem very childish and shrewish to me. Even when she finally realized she had terribly misjudged Velkan, it was just too little too late. I could completely understand why he was so angry with Retta and felt that he forgave her far too easily. I think she needed to do a lot more groveling for what she put the poor man through, especially since he had done nothing but look out for her well-being all those years too. I just didn't end up sensing a deep emotional connection between Velkan and Retta as a couple. About the only good thing I can say about them is that it was a unique element to have a hero and heroine who were already married before he was turned into a Dark-Hunter, and that as a result of having their life-forces tied together, she came back to life too. The other troublesome thing is that much like the previous full-length novel of the series, Dark Side of the Moon, there was no resolution to Velkan's Dark-Hunter status at the end of the story.

Although Until Death We Do Part is part of the Dark-Hunter series, there is no specific connecting plot and no carry-over characters that I'm aware of. Readers do get a glimpse of the first Were-Hunter/Dream-Hunter hybrid which might be an important piece of information that I could see possibly popping up again later in the series. It could easily be read as a stand-alone, but for those people who prefer reading series in order like I do, it falls between Dark Side of the Moon and The Dream-Hunter in the Dark-Hunter chronology. Until Death We Do Part had a few unique elements, but it felt like it was rather hurriedly thrown together and didn't entirely live up to its promise, ultimately, becoming a rather ho-hum read for me. Although I'm a bit skeptical of the chances based on other fans reviews, I am hoping that the next few stories improve on the relationship development and overall storytelling, as my interest in the series is sadly beginning to wane. Star Rating: ***

Ride the Night Wind by L. A. Banks - Ride the Night Wind is another short side-story in the Vampire Huntress Legends. It gives the backstory of Guardians Jose and Juanita who are apparently main characters in the series. I don't really know anything more about this couple besides what was imparted in this story, because I haven't read any of the main books in the Vampire Huntress Legends. I almost never read series books out of order, but I can't say that this series stood out to me as one that I knew I would like for certain, and after reading Make It Last Forever, another backstory novella, I just didn't know if I could take such sad endings. As a result, I have yet to try the main part of the series.

Much like with Make It Last Forever, I did enjoy Ride the Night Wind right up until the end. L. A. Banks created two likable characters in Jose and Juanita. I could very much relate to their dreams of becoming an artist and business woman respectively, but having no one who understood or supported those dreams until they met each other. They both were also from single-parent households in poor neighborhoods and had controlling mothers who thought the worst of them, even though they were trying their best. Jose was kind of into the gang-banging scene but had managed to use his art to avoid getting into any real trouble. He had the heart and body of a warrior with a more sensitive side underneath. He had been dreaming of a beautiful woman whose face was hidden in shadows except for her eyes, so when he saved Juanita from an demon attack, he immediately knew she was the one. Juanita was a responsible young woman who took care of her little brother and the household while her mother worked, and all she wanted was to have a “normal” life like other girls her age. Unfortunately, that was not to be. She too had dreams for years of a man who saves her from horrific creatures, but whose face is obscured by a motorcycle helmet, so when Jose rescues her, she knows he's the one.

Normally, I'm not a fan of quick hook-ups like what occurred in this story, but this time I was completely convinced that Jose and Juanita were meant for one another and that they were indeed falling in love even though the story takes place in only about a day. I think having them both dreaming of one another before meeting helped that along, but Ms. Banks also managed to imbue their relationship with tenderness and a deep sense of urgency and longing. They just can't seem to get enough of each other, and the love scenes were really intense and beautiful. That's why just like with Make It Last Forever, the ending of this story was so hard to take. I will admit that it was a little happier than the other novella, because unlike Jake Rider, the hero of that story, and the love of his life, Jose and Juanita are together at the end of Ride the Night Wind with the implication that it is for good this time. However, between the final chapter and the epilogue, Jose and Juanita have been separated for nearly two decades as they each played their roles as Guardians and both have taken other lovers during that time. So, it still broke my heart to have them apart for such an extended period before finally finding each other again.

Ride the Night Wind stood fairly well on its own without me having prior knowledge of the Vampire Huntress Legends, although I have to admit that the epilogue probably would have made more sense if I had known more about the world building and what had taken place thus far in the series. Jake Rider is mentioned throughout the story and shows up as a secondary character in the epilogue. If memory serves, this novella also takes place in the same small Native American community, with one or two of the same characters, from Make It Last Forever. In spite of another unsatisfying ending, I can't deny that the late L. A. Banks' writing is pretty solid and her stories have a certain dark appeal. I'm slowly becoming more interested in the series as a whole and might be persuaded to give it a try. I'm still a little uncertain though, because in spite of knowing that the series is urban fantasy rather than paranormal romance, Ms. Banks definitely has a knack for the romantic side of the story. With that in mind, I'm not sure if I can take more unhappiness if she dishes it up as liberally as she has in these two short stories. Star Rating: ****

The Gift by Susan Squires - The Gift turned out to be a very pleasant surprise for me. I hadn't heard much in paranormal romance circles about Susan Squires' Companion series, so I can't say that it ever really caught my eye as something I'd like to read. That's why I decided to go ahead with this novella without having read the previous books in the series. Now that I've given it a try, I'm very interested in backtracking and learning more about this interesting new vampire world. This is the first time I've read a historical vampire romance and to make it even more unique, the story is primarily set in Morocco, Casablanca to be exact. I don't think I've ever read any story, much less a romance, set in Africa before.

I really liked both the hero and heroine of this novella. Davie is an honorable man who is an officer in the British army. He's been looking forward to finally proposing to the woman he loves, but when duty calls and he doesn't know if he'll come back alive, he does the noble thing and releases Emma even though it breaks his heart to do so. He was also previously held captive, raped and tortured by the queen of the vampires which made him incredibly sympathetic. It just made me want to wrap him up in my arms and love him tenderly like Emma does. Because of his experiences with vampires, Davie would rather die than become one, but fate may have other plans in store for him. Emma is a vivacious and adventurous young lady who would rather risk her life in a dangerous place than to live without the man she loves. I had to admire her spunk in following Davie to Casablanca and her willingness to love him no matter what. She was a very brave woman who fought valiantly by his side in more ways than one. In my opinion, the author did a great job of conveying the deep sense of longing between these two when they couldn't be together, as well as the incredible love and tenderness they shared when they finally did reunite.

From what I can tell, The Gift falls between The Burning and One with the Night, books #3 and #4 of the Companion series. When I first started reading it, I was slightly confused. It took me a chapter or so to sort everything out. In this respect, I think it would have been better to have read the series in order. Also, some characters from previous books appeared, including Ian Rufford, the hero of The Companion, who had a strong secondary role and Beatrix, the heroine of The Hunger, who showed up briefly near the end. I also got the feeling that Davie and Emma were probably introduced in a previous book, because it was mentioned that they stood up for Ian and his wife at their wedding. Once I figured out who everyone was, the story was pretty easy to follow. I feel like I only got a taste of the vampire mythology here, and would love to know more. That, the exotic historical setting, and wanting to read more about Ian, who seems like he would make a great romantic hero, makes me very interested in continuing with this series, only this time I'll start at the beginning.:-) Star Rating: *****

The Forgotten One by Ronda Thompson - After a mediocre showing on the previous book in the Wild Wulfs of London, The Forgotten One really got the series back on track for me. This historical paranormal novella mirrored the deep emotional connection I felt in the first two stories, as well as the exquisite sensuality. It also had the unusual distinction of the hero being a commoner, a mere stable master, who was also a bastard with no last name, while the heroine was a titled lady about to inherit her family's estate upon her twenty-first birthday. I ended up absolutely loving it.

Anne reminds me a lot of myself. She is the perfect blend of a sweet girl trying to be just a little naughty. She doesn't entirely succeed in her plan though, because she's a little too cautious to fully follow through with it. She adores horses and knows as much about them as many men do, but of course, being a lady, is not really allowed to have anything to do with them other than to ride, which she loves. She longs to be free of the strictures of society, and what she feels while riding gives her a taste of that freedom. The sensations Merrick arouses in her and the way he understands her and is willing to accept her eccentricities also makes her feel liberated. Anne is a young woman who has a positive attitude and tries to look on the bright side of things. She is also a very trusting soul who always sees the best in people. When she turns that implicit trust on Merrick, it nearly overwhelms him. The way she loves him with her whole being in spite of him being lowborn, and even after witnessing him turning into a beast, is really beautiful.

Merrick is an incredibly sexy hero. He knows exactly what to say and do to get a lady's motor humming. He has this lazy, devil-may-care attitude that's extremely appealing, yet underneath it all, he harbors some darkness and resentment toward the upper classes because of his father abandoning his mother. It doesn't take him long though to realize that Anne isn't like most aristocrats. I love how Merrick understands Anne in a way that no one else does. He encourages her to pursue her dreams and desires even if they aren't considered “proper.” When Merrick discovers that his “gifts” go far beyond his wildest imaginings, he is understandably concerned for Anne's safety, but I was glad that in the end, he listened to her and trusted her instincts about his beastly side. His willingness to do anything for her was sweetly romantic.

The Forgotten One was another wonderfully sweet, yet deeply sensual romance. With three out of the four Wild Wulfs of London stories I've read so far being winners, the late Ronda Thompson has earned a spot on my favorite authors list. I'm really looking forward to the final book in the series, The Cursed One. Star Rating: *****

[CC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read Until Death We Do Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Heroine (Retta) was a BITCH! Other than that, it was a very good story. Short, second chance. I liked Velkan a lot. Such a good man! Did not deserve what happened to him before or after death.

But if my wife abandoned me for 500 years I am not sure I would take her back.

Loved that he named his mastiffs Bram and Stoker.

[crίѕтίŋα•●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●• · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until Death Do We Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 5 stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different take on SK's usual Dark-Hunter style, but it was really cute. Her short stories are always good. 4 stars
I skipped LA Banks' story since I don't like her.
The other story "the Gift" by Susan Squires was good as well. 4 stars
The last story, Wild Wulf of London #4 (btw, read them in order! I goofed and thought this was the last one. oops) is my favorite of the bros. Merrick is a bastard Wulf, but doesn't know it, and he meets Lady Anne, Jackson's first love, and the sparks fly. Loved the short story, loved the fact that Merrick gets a Scottish accent, and loved the whole of it! 5 stars

[Sam | Queen Hera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read only Until Death Do We Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

[Fangirl Musings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read: December 21, 2013
Read: April 1, 2007

So, I have to be honest with you, dear reader; I'm lying to you. Yes, yes, I'm a terrible human being for the lie, but it's quit necessary. See, I have you believing that I've read the entire book, Love At First Bite. A collection of short stories that I'm sure is amazing in its entirety, but my tiny sin is that...umm...well...I've not exactly read the whole novel.



I know! A tragedy, one even the Ponds will mourn. But! Ignoring this terrible oversight, I'm still ranking this entire book at five stars. Why? Because Sherrilyn Kenyon. Yep. She's bad-ass enough to merit an entire not-all-hers novel being awesome. Simply put, Esperetta and Velkan are made of win. They are two characters that pretty much yank your feels all over the place. Their story is insanely fast-paced (because duh, short story) but holy crap if it isn't spectacular.



Love is all lovey between our two leads, and if you like a tale of redemption and estranged lovers, your mouth is gonna drool over this one! ... Well, maybe not drool because eww, but trust when I say that Until Death Do Us Part packs one hell of a whammy. While the writing seems to give more reader-time with Esperetta than our hero, Velkan, the two definitely share chemistry, and the plotting is damned solid. In short summation, let's let Benny clearly articulate why you need this short story...



Yep. That.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Until Death do We Part” by Sherrilyn Kenyon is number 10.5B in her Dark-Hunter series (meaning that it comes in between “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Dream Hunter,” but after the novella “A Hard Day’s Night-Searcher,” which is 10.5A, and before “Fear the Darkness,” which is 10.5C).

This is the only novella I read from this anthology. This was a Dark-Hunter novel about Valkan (was the illegitimate son of a Hungarian princess and a Moldavian prince) and Esperetta (Dracula's daughter) star-crossed lovers from Romania 1476. Yes, apparently, in Ms. Kenyon's world her hero and heroine was what inspired Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This novella was horrible because the heroine had absolutely no redeeming value at all. They were married as humans and then both killed. Valkan made a bargain with Artemis for revenge, of course. However, since he is now immortal so is his wife Esperetta because when they were married Valkan joined their lives together. Then there was the "Big Misunderstanding" and the heroine left the hero. Both have stewed over their hatred for each other for centuries. And then they are thrown together again, through the plot of course, and at the end they can forgive each other after 500 years of hatred? Yeah right- pigs fly too...

[K.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review FOR Until Death Do We Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon

It's been a while that I had ventured into the world of Dark Hunters. This short story was a standalone but still gave us the wonder of the Dark-Hunter Universe. It reminded me once again how talented Ms. Sherrilyn Kenyon is. Her books were like opiums to my soul. This one was sweet and torturous because I wanted so much more. Esperetta & Velkan were the type of characters that I most adored about Ms. Sherrilyn's books. They were strong, independent and absolutely wonderful. I totally loved their hot-headedness. LOVED IT!



4.75 Stars!!

[Misa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only read Sherrilyn Kenyon's novella.

[Jana Goes · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Primal kisses. Erotic secrets. Eternal passion.”

Picked this book up at a thrift shop without any clue as what to expect. Turns out it contains 4 short stories, pretty entertaining, about girls and vampires falling in love with each other. The girls are always innocent and beautiful, the vampires handsome and strong. Although it’s bursting with stereotypes it was quiet amusing to read as a break between heavier literature.

[GLORY1818 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gusto conocer un poco más de sobre Velkan

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series --and I'm on board to read just about anything she writes; which led me to the anthology Love at First Bite.

Kenyon's offering focuses on the Dark Hunter Velkan and his long estranged love Esperetta. Retta was the daughter of Vlad Tepesh (yes, Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula.) She fell in love with Velkan when he rescued her from a band of killers and rapists hundreds of years ago. They married, and Velkan tied their souls together for eternity with magic. Because of a longstanding feud between their houses, the realized they would have to fake their deaths to escape their families. (Think Romeo and Juliet.) Only thing is, Velkan didn't think the plan would work. So he helped Retta fake her death and then turned himself over to her father, planning to have Retta's body snuck away so she could get a chance at a new life. Obviously, that didn't work out. When Vlad came to claim Velkan, in his anger, he killed his daughter for real --then killed Velkan. Velkan's soul screamed out for vengeance and Artemis made him a Dark Hunter, so that he could kill Vlad. But because he had tied their souls together, when Velkan came back to life, so did Retta. She goes back to her home just in time to see Velkan kill her father --and she believes he betrayed her. And for the past several hundred years, she has hated him for it. This story shows how they get back together, overcoming the misunderstandings between them, and rekindling the passion that never really died. Not the best story in the Dark Hunter world, but it was good and I enjoyed it. (They can't all be Dance With The Devil .)

The second story came from L.A. Banks and is apparently an offshoot on her Vampire Huntress Series. This is the first thing I've ever read from LA Banks and I did not enjoy it. The story focused on a young man named Jose who meets his destined love Juanita. They are being hunted by demons and are both going to become instrumental in the fight against of evil. This is clearly a backstory to two people who are relevant in the current series. But it took me a long time to understand what was going on. The slang and grammar were frankly horrible. And the biggest sin for me: the ending was not happy. I finished this story feeling like I had been sucker punched and I wish I would have skipped it.

The third story is from the Companion series written by Susan Squires. I wasn't familiar with her either. And it took me a little while to get into this story, but I did, eventually. Our hero, Davie Ware, is a human called to help some good vampires defeat some bad vampires in Casablanca back in the 1800's. That would be hard enough on the guy, but it's made even worse by the fact that he had recently escaped a female vampire who had held him as a sex slave and tortured him... AND he had to leave on this mission the very day he had planned to propose to his love, Emma. Davie sacrifices himself and his future to do the right thing. But Emma doesn't give up on him and follows him, hoping for a future. I liked this one and may check out the Companion series after reading it.

The last story was from Ronda Thompson and I loved this one. It featured Anne, an 1800's lady who wants to shake up her staid life. Enter Merrick, the new stablemaster. There is an undeniable attraction between the two. But a relationship seems impossible because of the difference in their social station. Complicating matters further, it seems Merrick is also a werewolf. In a very short time, I came to care for both Anne and Merrick. I enjoyed the development of their relationship and I was excited to find out this, too is tied to a series. I will definitely be reading The Dark One .

If you've made it to the end of this review, I feel like you should have earned some kind of merit badge. But I will wrap it up, saying that it was a solid anthology and one I'd recommend. Just read the Banks story at your own risk. 4 stars.

[Misti · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book I picked up because I've been on a bit of an Urban Fantasy-Romance binge lately, and it could have been really wonderful. Four female authors with the common theme of love and things that go bump in the night! Sweet, right? Well, not so much.

I desperately struggled through the first story by headlining author Sherilyn Kenyon... I read it yesterday, but I have NO recollection about what it concerned. Something about Gypsies and Dracula and... well, I don't quite recall, but it wasn't terribly enthralling and I remember thinking that the flow of the writing was all off.

The second story was a contemporary romance with minorities in the main roles. I actually could follow the plot and the characters were likable enough for me not to pull my hair out. But the whole thing ended rather unsatisfactorily and some of the decisions made during the multiple sex scenes (and for a short story, there were a LOT of them) were questionable. In fact, the whole last 2 chapters were a large section of WTF.

The third and fourth stories were regency romances with vampires in the starring roles. The first taking place in 1819 and 1820 and the second taking place in 1821. Do they plan things like this on purpose? The third story was not really so bad but a lot of the issues seemed fairly contrived. What's up with all the women in this book saving their virginity for sometime in their mid-to-late twenties, saying "I'm not giving it up until I get married" and then giving it up anyway??? I mean, stuff happens, but if you're that committed to the concept, stick with it! I'm sick of reading about women in romances suddenly becoming weak-kneed and weak-willed just because some stud with glowing eyes shows up on her doorstep. Is that not a WARNING sign in big neon lights to anyone else out there?

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE AT FIRST BITE - 3.5 out of 5 STARS

"Until Death Do We Part" by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 5 Stars
I love that Velkan was the only Dark-Hunter to be married before he became a DH. I hate that Retta didn't listen to him the night he became a DH and ended up hating him. I love that he sent the Weres to watch over her and when he came to save her despite the sun coming up. In the end, it's awesome that Retta lets the Weres have at the bad guys. Velkan was so adorable; I waaaaant him.

"Ride the Night Wind" by L. A. Banks - 3.5 Stars
I liked this story but I felt that it was hard to follow at times, and it might have been easier to follow if I read other books in the series before this one. Holy hell, that crazy sex marathon...I love that the grandparents left the house and stayed away so that Jose and Juanita could go at it as much as they wanted. I hated when Jose and Juanita were separated and that they had other lovers before they were able to be together again.

"The Gift" by Susan Squires - 2 Stars
I thought this was story was odd but I did appreciate the interesting take on vampires. I did like, though, how bold Emma was in licking Davie's wound so she could take in his vampire blood and turn. Throughout the whole story, though, I couldn't stand that they called the guy "Davie"; it constantly reminded me of my creepy cousin that we called "Davy" until he turned thirteen.

"The Forgotten One" by Rhonda Thompson - 3.5 Stars
This story had an interesting take on werewolves: he didn't know he was a werewolf and it didn't happen until after they'd had sex. It was painfully obvious that her aunt and uncle were trying to steal her fortune, and I wanted to slap the aunt when she propositioned Merrick. I loved, though, that the first time they meet is in the dead of night and she pretends that she's a maid and he kisses her.

[Mojca · Rating 3 out of 5]

My "initial" rating was confirmed in this reread. It's Sherrilyn Kenyon's contribution that shines in this anthology.
Though quite similar to her novella in Dead After Dark - the hero loves the heroine, but she's a real bitch and doesn't want anything to do with him - Retta quickly learns the error of her ways and in the end it's Velkan's turn to suffer from "cold feet". I wouldn't mind keeping him warm though. ;)
This is a love story for the ages, literally lasting through the ages. Loved the prologue and the two of them together. And I couldn't help but notice the separation did the two of them a world of good, especially Esperetta. It gave her the much needed opportunity to grow and mature to be able to take a man (and what a man!) like Velkan on.

The other three were "meh" at best, the middle two completely out there, while Ronda Thompson's contribution didn't vary much from the other stories in her Wild Wulfs of London series. Unfortunately. Also, the heroine really got on my nerves from the first moment I read about her in Jackson's story. I just wanted to slap her.

[Mae Hanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL - I'm going to round up to 4 stars overall - the average comes out to 3.65 stars.

Story 1 - Until Death Do We Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Well I'mnot really sure about this one. Having not read anything by Kenyon before maybe she writes exceedingly hard-headed vampires. Seems to me 500 years is a long time, even for a vampire, to sit and wait for what you want.
3 stars

Story 2 - Ride The Night Wind by L.A. Banks
Okay - the problem with anthologies is that you'll come across a story that is part of another series and then you have questions. This was one of those for me.
I was following along great, then there is a 20 year gap (I'm assuming this is the rest of the series). I fell like I'm missing out on a huge segment of the story, but it's aggravated me at this point and I doubt I'll go back and find the series.
3 stars

Story 3 - The Gift by Susan Squires
This is a complete, stand on its own, short story. I need no other knowledge of Ms. Squires writings to throughly enjoy this story.
4 stars

Story 4 - The Forgotten One by Ronda Thompson
LOVED this one. The story is complete, never leaving me wondering about a series it may be a part of. I enjoyed the play on name twist at the end. I wasn't sure what Merrick was going to be, I love it when I get a surprise.
4 1/2 stars.

[Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent little paranormal romance story that is part of LA Bank's vampire series. Definitely original and different, though I'm still not sure if I like the writing style. Still good, quick read.

Merged review:

Excellent little historical paranormal romance story. I truly liked these Wulfs. But I especially liked Anne. So willing to see the best in people. And the romance was HOT.

Merged review:

Very nice collection of paranormal romance stories. I picked this one up for Sherrilyn Kenyon's contribution, but I enjoyed them all. Even the two historical ones. Excellent collection for any paranormal romance fan.

[Miss Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Velkan and Retta's story. *meh*. Retta is the daughter of the real count dracula. Velkan is a dark hunter, she is his wife who is also immortal. The story was ok--it's a nice little side dish to go with the dark-hunters of the world. It does not have anything to with the ongoing story with Ash, Stryker, etc.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to read a novella by SK that i didn't wish had been a full book. She has a way of making characters come alive, like no one else. This story was sweet, romantic and heartbreaking all at once.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherrilyn Kenyon's "Until Death Do Us Part", Dark-Hunter , 6.5.

Susan Squires' "The Gift", Companion, 4.

L. A. Banks' "Ride the Night Wind"

Rhonda Thompson's "Forgotten One" was a good story.

[Serena Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

el relato de la Kenyon es el que mas me ha gustado... soy fan total de ella, y el relato de Espereta me ha hecho reir con los puntazos de los vampiros y Bram Stoker jjj

relatos cortos para pasar una buena tarde...

mi nota un 8

[Vanessa theJeepDiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Until Death We Do Part 4 stars
Ride the Night Wind 1 star
The Gift 2 Stars
The Forgotten One 4 Stars

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy Romeo y Julieta. Nice :) [Until Death Do Us Part, de Sherrilyn Kenyon]

[Jenn Ayers · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the DH story.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book with four stories, apparently linked to different series. I didn’t fall in love with any of the characters or stories. I found the first tedious, the ending of the second was bitter, the third ok and fourth was enjoyable but a bit slow paced.

Until death do we part: I was very underwhelmed. Perhaps if I read the series this might fall into place. Retta(Esperetta) is the daughter of Vlad Tepes, from the house of dracul himself, who in 1476 marries Velkan Danesti, his family an enemy and he binds them for eternity. Her father coming for them they come up with a Romeo and Juliet solution. However that goes horribly wrong and Retta sees Velkan kill her father and finds he made a deal that they both become immortal. She flees and then the story resumes 500 years later. Retta reads an article about someone is making a Dracula theme park and naturally blames Velkan, comes up with the genius idea to travel back there and kill¿ him?? She and her shapeshifter friend Francesca travel back to the homeland. First Retta discovers Francesca is family to the ware-hunters in service to Velkan and then she gets kidnapped by the order of the dragon. Velkan of course recuses her, where he is seriously injured. Retta sees the error of her ways and they reconcile. The plot isn’t as bad when it’s laid out but I found Retta so childish and immature.

Ride the night wind: At the start there is ‘The legend of the neteru guardians’ when I read that I thought this is going to be amazing. I was wrong. A young man Jose and a young woman Juanita have some terrible nightmares but he always saves her and the dreams turn erotic. One night the demons from the nightmares are real and come for them. Jose saves Juanita and goes to his grandparents who are Native American elders. His grandfather a shaman gives them three days alone while they make a medicine to help the young couple. Obviously they spend the three days intimately. Demons come and attack them, Jose holds them off and the elders arrive. Their futures are foretold and they are separated. The end fast forwards to years later and the have been separated for a couple of decades and are just reuniting. I was disappointed with the ending. It was quite painful.

The gift: is the tale of Major Vernon Davis ‘Davie’ Ware who on the cusp of asking Miss Emma Fairfield for betrothal is ordered across the sea to Casablanca to help fight a vampire army created by Ashanti, his former slave master. He joins up with Ian Rufford and Fedeyah who were both former slaves as well now turned vampires. Davie accidentally gets turned into a vampire just as Emma turns up in Casablanca. Emma is quite a strong character, the story is a decent read.

The forgotten one: Lady Anne Baldwin lives a lonely life in the country with her adoptive aunt and uncle. She starts to rebel when she meets the new stable master Merrick. He is a bit unusual and she is definitely attracted to him. The story has been the best one in the book and is linked to a series I haven’t read but now plan to.

[WenSofi (Eclecticamente_Lectora) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Breve Opinión Coqueta ✨

Hasta que la muerte nos separé

Me habría encantado que fuera más largo este relato corto pero me conformo porque conocer una historia tan icónica como la de Vlad Tepesh el empalador y saber que tenía una hija que vivía un amor prohibido típico de los Montes y los Capuleto solo agregando el detalle de que era más sanguinario.

La vida puede ser cruel y por las malas se aprenden lecciones valiosas que dejan huella, puedes escapar, tal vez pretendas olvidar o quizá negar la verdad pero lo cierto es que el órgano que nunca se va a equivocar cuando encuentras al amor de tu vida es tu corazón ese que late aceleradamente y te lleva a cometer los actos más honorables o los más descabellados. Velkan sufrió su ración de odio, desprecio y hasta el repudio de su familia por amar al enemigo y aún así nunca miro atrás porque su amor era más fuerte que una lucha que le pertenecía a una tanda de personas irracionales, sacrificó absolutamente todo por Esperetta porque para él no había nada más valioso que ella, por desgracia nada dura para siempre, al final ganó la desconfianza, el odio y el repudio, siglos pasaron para que el orgullo al fin abandonará la mente de dos seres que se amaban más allá de lo que se odiaban.

Siglos pasaron sin pena ni gloria y lo cierto es que el vacío que habitaba en su corazón jamás la abandonó desde que dejó atrás al amor de su vida, seguir adelante fue medianamente fácil cuando te niegas a ver la realidad y aunque digas odiar tu corazón sangra cada ve que su recuerdo vuelve a ti, cada vez que escuchas su voz en la mente y esas caricias que te hicieron volar no se apartan de tu mente porque el amor nunca se extinguió simplemente la llama siguió luchando por mantenerse viva. Te puedes engañar y aún así jamás estarás completa porque tú corazón está allá donde está tu alma.

¿Quieres saber más?
Necesitas leer este increíble relato que está buenísimo y solo querrás saber más y más.

[Lu Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

ntil Death Do Us Part - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Two best friends embark on a journey to esparetta's homeland but once she got there she could tell something was off but thinking about when she was married to her now ex-husband. Once they got to the hotel she saw ppl she didn't see in a very long time and then things turned worse than what she thought it was the realm of the vampires were at war and she just walked into the war zone. Theres alot of action and drama but at the end she ends up falling back in love with her now husband once again and he swears that he will not allow anything to happen to her.

Ride the Night Wind - LA Banks
Teen that has gotten into drugs and his future isn't bright at all but intil he turns his life around by becoming an artist but his mother doesn't like the thought of him as an artist as a real job so She threatens him by saying u either enroll in a V-trade program or pack your bags and ill send you to your grandpa's house which he lives on an Native american reservation. The City of LA gave him a blank building wall to paint on but little did he know that his art was going to betray him as if he was breaking the law and almost got arrested by LAPD but then the vampires came and then he heard a female's voice and saved not only his life but hers as well and fled to his grandpa's house. There are somme really hot steamy areas within this story but at the same time theres suspense hanging in the air!!!

The other two stories are less steamy then the last one but full of drama and a hint of romance but more of historical than the other 2 stories within this book!

[Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book, the stories were good. I think a lot of them started slow. There was one I didn't care for too much, but I don't have the book with me right now, I don't remember which one it was. I liked the first one about the Dark Hunters and the last one was good. I am not sure if the second novella had demons chasing the couple and I didn't really like how they separated from each other. I don't remember the third one. If you like novellas then you might like this.