Dark Hunger …. Christine Feehan…. A Dark Carpathian novella
Back Cover ….
Trapped and caged, immortal seer Riordan’s honor is compromised by his captors. They’re in his mind. They’re in his blood. And not one can withstand his desire for revenge. Then a beautiful woman finds him in his torment. She will release him from his bonds. He will release her from her inhibitions. Both have a voracious appetite that needs to be sated. And tonight their dark hunger will be fed…
my review …..
It’s only a novella, but there is lots packed into it….
Riordan is part of a large Carpathian family, 5 brothers and a sister (unfortunately she was killed centuries ago) they were sent to Brazil to patrol and keep the human population safe from the vampires. He is the youngest of the brothers.
He was caught by a human society to study, keeping him virtually starved of blood (they survive on blood) and wrapped in chains (coated with vampire blood) he is a guinea pig to the society, until they perfect their poison to rid the world of the evil vampire (the society are able to tell the difference between Carpathian and vampire) then they will kill Riordan.
Biding his time, he refuses to call out to his brothers (he doesn’t want them falling into the same trap) waiting for his moment to strike at his captors and escape.
Juliette is an animal liberator, along with her cousins (Jasmine and Solange) she frees animals that are captured. But that’s not the only thing she frees…..
Juliette is a shapeshifter (she can turn at will into a Jaguar) she helps women (other jaguar women) in abusive relationships to escape.
For centuries the male jaguar shifter have turned from a loving male into a violent and abusive male, no longer treasuring their women and children. They take what they want and the women are chattel. And when the women leave to find other males to be with, they are hunted down and forced to return the the jaguar communities.
Juliette is rescuing animals from a compound when she stumbles upon a man chained to the wall.
Hurrying to free him, she doesn’t realise the danger she is putting herself in….
Riordan’s only concern is escaping and exacting justice on his captors, so when a female is in the process of freeing him, he seizes his chance, he intents to feed from her and escape, but as he bends to her neck, he notices the colour of her hair, and the blood in her hair, he is seeing in colour for the first time in centuries…..
Juliette feels a sharp pain and then nothing but bliss ….. slowly she turns lethargic, not sure as to what is going on, Juliette tried to escape the bands of steel around her chest.
The story is the introduction to the De La Cruz family, all are ancients, all are arrogant males, so it’s fun to read about how their views on what a female should do and act, will differ from reality, and as they are getting modern females it won’t go to plan 😉
It also gives us more information on the society that are hunting the Carpathians/vampires, how they are stepping up their efforts, and we get more information on why the Carpathians are having difficulties having children.
It’s a short story, but it has a lot of detail.
🦋
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