The Bitten

Vampire Huntress Legend #4

by L.A. Banks

The Bitten is the fourth daring and pulse-pounding book in L. A. Banks's Vampire Huntress Legend series


The vampire civil war has been averted, deadly were-demons have been beaten back, and now it Damali Richards and Carlos Rivera (now a Council level vampire) will finally have the chance to settle in and explore their deeper, sexier love.

But Carlos and Damali should know by now that there is no rest for the saviors of the known world. One of the four topside Master vampires has stolen one of the Keys---the living blood of Christ---that opens the sixth seal as foretold in Revelations. He who possesses the Key and the Seal can decide to the outcome of the Final War, a.k.a. Armageddon. With a vampire in possession of the Key, the balance between the Light and the Dark have been thrown off and even Damali is deeply affected: she is now sporting a pair of fangs.

In order to retrieve the Key, Carlos and Damali are quickly thrust into a web of vampire politics and intrigue. And when Carlos's secret drug, Oblivion, finds its way into the hands of the enemies, even the seventh level of Hell comes calling.

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

435 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

A pseudonym used by Leslie Esdaile Banks, she also wrote under the names:
Leslie E. Banks
Leslie Esdaile
Leslie Esdaile Banks
Leslie Banks
Alexis Grant

L.A. Banks, a native Philadelphian, was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton undergraduate program. With many awards to her credit, Banks also held a masters of fine arts degree in film and media arts from Temple University. She lived in Philadelphia with her family until she passed away on the morning of August 2, 2011.

Visit L.A. Banks' page on the Macmillan website: http://us.macmillan.com/author/labanks

Reviews

[Michael Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS THE BOOK I STARTED WITH, AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH
THE WHOLE SERIES, I JUST NEED TO GET THE FIRST THREE, AT
THIS POINT I HAVE READ THE 11TH BOOK AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE
12TH.
THE WAY SHE WRITES A STORY THAT WE ALL CAN RELATE TO AND
MAKE YOU CARE ABOUT THE CHARATERS IS THE MARK OF A REAL
WRITER.
IF YOU WANT TO READ ABOUT VAMPIRES AND GOOD AND EVIL IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT, THEN READ THIS!!!!

[Minnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book before, never put it away. I wanted to re-read it for distinctive vampire characters. IMO, this is one of the best of all the series (12 in all) and I won't go into why, I will not be a spoiler. Last night I was stopped dead in my tracks with Chapter 25. It blew me away! Where does L.A. Banks get your muse for these stories? I don't know any writer who can match her astounding Vampire Huntress Legends other than Octavia Butler. Not even Anne Rice. Banks offers something for every reader -- religion, erotica, horror and an African American bent. Her faithful fans know she researches the world and folds the information into her stories.

Anyway, I starting writing this review because of The Bitten, Chapter 25. Wow!

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so this is the one where I just called it quits. These are nearly laughable--they are a bizarre mix of bodice ripper romances with gangsta wannabe thugs. Gimme a break.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Damali has turned, despite the fact that she is supposed to be immune to the bite of a vampire. Carlos and her use this to infiltrate the lair of the Australian Master (under the guise of being "on tour") with the aim of finding the seal that will start Armageddon.

As usual the book is fairly fast paced, particularly the end. It is a good series and I am enjoying them.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much better than the previous 3! It starts out with Damali and Carlos together (finally!) a lot. So much together that she starts to flux and almost become a vampire. All kinds of craziness goes down while they are in Australia together at the castle of another master vampire. Three more masters join them at the castle and wild shenanigans ensue, with Damali owning everyone and Carlos being a jerk and super sweet and a major bad ass. Damali ends up pregnant with Carlos' baby, and it's human, not vampire. But the underworld finally figures out that Carlos was playing them and calls him to task. The head councilman is super pissed but also really impressed and ridiculously heartbroken. These creatures come and torture Carlos, but they can't get to his memories about Damali or the sixth seal and key (which is what everyone is looking for in this book) which infuriates the creatures. Finally, the underworld makes Damali have a miscarriage and then sends Carlos up to be tortured in front of her before he burns in the sun. Damali is crushed; so are Jose and Father Lopez. But, out of nothing Carlos is reborn, "finally free" and then the book just ends. I am so looking forward to the next book in the series! The ridiculous language was toned down which was a huge plus. And now Carlos is human again and can take his rightful spot on the Guardian team and be with Damali for real, like they should be. Amazing story. I was crying at the end, watching Carlos be killed because like Damali, I love him and was heartbroken. This book really redeemed the series. <3

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the marks of a good writer is to make the ludicrous believable. Unfortunately I found it impossible to believe that vampires have a hidden society in which they are ranked in numbered levels; that they have their own system of government and have divided the world up into feeding realms; that an Australian master vampire lives in a gigantic gothic castle on the Queensland coast, overlooking the Great Barrier Reef, which has somehow gone completely unnoticed by any human; and that the most exalted so-called master vampires could be so easily conned by one of their own. Add to that lengthy, speech-like dialogue that, in a clumsy attempt to sound streetwise, was liberally peppered with simple obscenity and the colloquial "man", "dude", and "heavy", and reading became tedious because none of it rang true. There were some original touches, such as the Australian setting, the competitive hunt for were-kangaroos, and the vampire on his way to turning back to human rather than the usual vice-versa. But the lead characters were so omnipotent that there was no real tension in the story, and the exotic setting was under-utlised, reading more like a tourist's travelogue than a real exploration of the locale. The only convincing parts were the lovemaking scenes, which played on all the senses in a way that the other descriptions should have but did not. Ultimately, it was an appealing idea that didn't quite work for this reader.

[M.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 4th installment, The Bitten, we open up with one of the keys (blood of Christ) missing, a master vampire has stolen it, this key opens up one of the biblical seals spoken about in Revelations. The stolen key is causing unbalance between Light and Dark, affecting Damali, who is bitten by her Lover Now Vampire Councilman Carlos Her Neteru Antibodies should keep her from turning, however due to the unbalance between light & Dark she is temporally a Vampire . she and Carlos go undercover in Australia to meet with the all the master vampires, and find out which one has stolen the seal and get it back. this is my favorite of the series, you really get to see how much Carols loves his Damali and that his love eclipses the darkness, and just what he is willing to do to keep her safe, even if it kills him.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is where Banks lost me. I couldn't finish the book because I just couldn't take any more. I'm sure it will appeal to others since Banks has gone on and on and on with the series; it's just not for me.

[Bell Curran · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was really excited about this series: vampires are always so white, and the premise of African-American vampires was intriguing. Unfortunately the pace was a little too sluggish for me. The extensive description of the many levels of hell put me to sleep.

[Tif · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never could manage to finish this book, I didn't much care for the author's style of writing.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

rounded up from 4.5

Loved it, just loved it. They went after the 4 master vamps. She is writing a great series. I ust keep wanting to find out what is going to happen.

[Christy Barber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can't get into this series. I'm giving up on it. I don't care for the writing style, the characters, or the world where they live.

[Amanda L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why I continue with this series. I just don't like it

[Veronica A Garnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the entire series.

Sherri Lynn Kenyon mentioned L. A. Banks her in one of the Brotherhood books. That is what got me started and I was hooked. I found this book in a used book store. In the early aughts. I read it overnight and went out and bought the rest of the series from the used store and the missing ones from B&N. Then I was thirsty for each new episode. Her character development is unmatched. The stories flow so well. When Thirteen came out I was so very sad. In 2010 or so I was browsing on the internet and discovered two new books, THE DARK series.

Each novel has life lessons that make them worth reading. Now that fantasy is popular with DC comics and Marvel movies these should be reprinted for the new generation of readers. I am sure Ms. Banks estate would approve. Besides, I need another hard copy of this. I decided to reread the series and discovered this one was missing so I downloaded it. 🙃

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, I cried real tears at the end of this book. I was ugly crying, y'all!!! This book deserves a whole lot more than five stars! I'll be honest, when I saw that this series had twelve books and counting, I thought, "I'll just read to book four and call it good." No, I can't do that! I have to read this series to completion now! L.A. Banks, girl, I bow to your superior writing skills. Never before have I loved a vampire series so much! Honestly, I must have read ten books or more between book three and book four and all I could think about was Damali and Carlos. I can't wait to get ahold of book five! And I will invest in buying this entire series for my collection!!! New favorite author right here.

[AlTonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still enjoying the series a lot, but this was a tough one for me to get through. I was glad to be reading a physical copy as I skimmed pages quite a bit with this one.

Carlos and Damali... let's just say they worked my nerves for lack of better phrasing. They just seemed a lot more immature in this one- a serious issue in light of all they've got at stake. If the story rested totally on them, this wouldn't have been a 4-star rating. The secondary characters were brilliant as usual and so compelling.

This series remains a winner for me. I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I have the others. As soon as my local library stocks my hold shelf, I'm off to Book 5, The Forbidden! :-)

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY:
The vampire civil war has been averted, deadly were-demons have been beaten back and now it Damali Richards and Carlos Rivera (now a Council level vampire) will finally have the chance to settle in and explore their deeper, sexier love. But Carlos and Damali should know by now that there is no rest for the saviors of the known world. One of the four topside Master vampires has stolen one of the Keys-the living blood of Christ---that opens the sixth seal as foretold in Revelations. He who possesses the Key and the Seal can decide to the outcome of the Final War, a.k.a. Armageddon. With a vampire in possession of the Key, the balance between the Light and the Dark have been thrown off and even Damali is deeply effected. She is now sporting a pair of fangs. In order to retrieve the Key, Carlos and Damali are quickly thrust into a web of vampire politics and intrigue. And when Carlos's secret drug, Oblivion, finds its way into the hands of the enemies, even the seventh level of Hell comes calling. L. A. Banks is the author of the Vampire Huntress Legends series. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and a master's in fine arts from Temple University. Banks considers herself a shape-shifter. She has written romance, women's fiction, crime and suspense, and, of course, dark vampire huntress lore. She lives with her daughter and her dog in an undisclosed lair somewhere in Philadelphia. The vampire civil war has been averted, deadly were-demons have been beaten back, and finally Damali Richards and Carlos Rivera (now a council-level vampire) have the chance to explore their deeper, more sensual love. But Carlos and Damali should know by now that there is no rest for the saviors of the known world. One of the four topside master vampires has stolen one of the seven keys--the living blood of Christ--that opens the sixth seal as foretold in Revelations. He who possesses the key and the seal can decide to the outcome of the Final War, a.k.a. Armageddon. With a vampire in possession of the holy key, the balance between the Light and the Dark has been shifted. Even Damali is deeply effected: she is now sporting fangs. In order to retrieve the key, Carlos and Damali are quickly thrust into a web of vampire politics and intrigue. And when Carlos's secret drug, Oblivion, finds its way into the hands of enemies, even the seventh level of Hell comes calling as well. "The Bitten" is the fourth installment in Banks' widely acclaimed series of urban vampire thrillers. "I highly recommend Banks' Vampire Huntress Series for use in courses ranging from high school to college. I have used this series as recommended reading for my graduate students in Women's Studies and they cannot stop talking about these works. Banks' writing is smart, poignant, and engaging. Students aren't able to put the books down. Each novel in the series brims with social critique and commentary. Banks is a perceptive writer who provides a wonderful critique of societal issues, from the impact of drugs to self-responsibility and self-reliance to the choices we all make in life. Students who engage in the work of L. A. Banks will leave the classroom with sharper critical thinking skills and a newfound joy of reading."--Gwendolyn D. Pough, Associate Professor of Women's Studies and Writing, Syracuse University, and author of "Check It While I Wreck It: Black Womanhood, Hip-Hop Culture, and the Public Sphere" "I highly recommend Banks' Vampire Huntress Series for use in courses ranging from high school to college. I have used this series as recommended reading for my graduate students in Women's Studies and they cannot stop talking about these works. Banks' writing is smart, poignant, and engaging. Students aren't able to put the books down. Each novel in the series brims with social critique and commentary. Banks is a perceptive writer who provides a wonderful critique of societal issues, from the impact of drugs to self-responsibility and self-reliance to the choices we all make in life. Students who engage in the work of L. A. Banks will leave the classroom with sharper critical thinking skills and a newfound joy of reading."--Gwendolyn D. Pough, Associate Professor of Women's Studies and Writing, Syracuse University, and author of "Check It While I Wreck It: Black Womanhood, Hip-Hop Culture, and the Public Sphere" "At the start of Banks' seductive fourth Vampire Huntress Legend fantasy (after 2004's "The Awakening"), former crime lord/master vampire Carlos Rivera bites his lover, hot hip-hop artist/gifted slayer Damali Richards, and she bites back. This passionate exchange puts Damali's humanity and the fate of the world at risk. As Damali and Carlos struggle with the implications of their bond, the pair work with Damali's Guardian team to recover a 'key' containing the blood of Christ (extracted from the Shroud of Turin), which another master vampire has hijacked and injected into an unwilling human. The key's spilled blood could open the seal that unleashes Armageddon: 'If he's able to open that seal, then everything you learned in Catholic school about the book of Revelations will go down. All Hell will literally break loose, hombre. You feel me?' To prevent this cataclysm and the sacrifice of an innocent victim, the couple travel to Australia, where they play a high-stakes game with four topside master vampires, with life-changing results . . . ["The Bitten"] will delight established fans."--"Publishers Weekly"

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought that I'd like this book but it ends up that I didn't like it much at all. I'm guessing that vampires don't really do it for me. I mean, I kind of already knew that but I like to give them another chance every once in a while. I found this book to have too many characters for me to keep track of aside from the two main ones. I felt that there were too many storylines going on.

[Hannah Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, because I read this for a class, I didn't read the first 3 books and was thoroughly confused for the first half of it. I did enjoy the descriptive action scenes. I think I would feel differently about this book had I read the other 3 books first.

[thee.millennialreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series always gives me a 5/5! I love it here. It’s the action and unwavering love and loyalty for me. The ending did confuse me a little bit. I’m giving major side eye, but I’m also relieved. Going to take a break, then moving on to the next book.

[TinaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's an amazing love between Carlos and Damali, they are fighting off the Armageddon this time as a Vampire acquires the first key to unlock the gates

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting ending to this book. I wonder what the next book will be like and where the story will go

[Chrys Minter · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite author still to date.

[Into the Mind of Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yassssss this book is sooooo good I sobbed at the end 😭❤️🫡 10/10 definitely recommend

[Tima Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

[BEETHEEBOOKBEAUTY☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was nothing but a beautiful nightmare! The angst, the agony, the love, hope, faith is what truly set this book apart from the previous ones. I'm excited to see how the story continues! 🖤

[Recensioni in tre parole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scadente. Noioso. Banale.

[gambal29 YIM · Rating 5 out of 5]

ending remarkable

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing 10/ 10 that's all. How a book should be. Superb ending.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 thumbs WAY up to L.A. Banks for this next installment in the Vampire Huntress Legend series.

This book, just like its predecessor was AMAZING! As if there was even a possibility of this book being even better than the one before...and it WAS!

Everything quickly comes to a head with Damali's Guardian team, Carlos, The Covenant, Hell, Mr. Chairman, and then as if that wasn't enough, there is the added element of a bunch of international curiosity seeker Scientists, who are investigating the powers residing in the dark, trying to find ways to harness it and learn its secrets.

The sacred 6th key, the Lamb's living blood, is stolen from its hallowed ground shelter when the scientists lower the protective forcefield surrounding it and that sends Carlos back into Hell to face an inquiry about what can be done. As he is the strongest Master top-side, Hell is counting on him to bring home the key for them, so that when they finally find the 6th seal, can plunge Earth into everlasting darkness which will allow ALL the bad things that hide in the dark out.

Damali and her team travel to Australia to help with this lost key situation, and get it back before the dark can claim ownership. Carlos continues playing his dangerous game, but this time, he includes all the other Master's top-side, 4 of them, and their wives.

One night of intense white-hot vanishing point passion while Damali is in a temporary flux state between human Neteru and Vampiri Neteru, and her future is forever changed.

Berkfield has a stronger role in this book, which I like very much, as he is a great cop, and a True Believer after all he's seen. Now he's worrying about his family's safety against vampires, being caught up in the seriousness happening with the Scientists, being abducted and taken to Australia, injected and finally tortured. Will he survive? I certainly hope he recovers from the stigmata's. He did not ask to become a living vessel, and can only cope with that which others have forced on him.

Carlos's game backfires on him on a yacht, and many become dust. Damali knows in her heart that one or more of her team won't make it out alive this time, for good. Which one it is no one knows until it's time.

Hell unleashes a fury like no other on Carlos, terrorizing him, and then releases him from captivity, leading him to his fate to die in the sun while Damali watches. Where is Heaven? Where is redemption, compassion, forgiveness when Damali needs it the most? Carlos must be saved for all of humankind to keep their Neteru from losing all hope. Will Heaven step in one last time?

Only the next book can tell. I can't wait!