Almost Human

Wow, I was blown away by this book. I'd read a few Cat Marsters' novellas before, but this full length book was a full-on explosion of amazingly hot sex and the most mysterious hero I've read in a loooooong time. One question? When can I read more?

ALMOST HUMAN is something rare and wonderful in the glut of romance novels that all seem to be the same--a genuinely unique story set in a fantastical world with rules that actually make sense. Not only does the story take place in a realm unlike anything else, the plot is fantastic and the romance is smokin'! Chance is a serious over-achiever. The daughter of the most ruthless man in existence, Chance's innate abilities with magic and bridging (crossing the magical boundaries between realms) are considerable. Those aren't her only talents, though. She joins The Association, a league of beautiful courtesans whose expertise in giving pleasure is unsurpassed, and swiftly attains the rank of Lady. However, this still leaves half her natural skill-set wanting, so she also trains with The Order--a secretive and highly selective organization of assassins and spies. She rises through the organization quickly and earns the distinction of Phoenix Knight, a rank not even her father achieved. With all this under her belt (when she's wearing one), Chance could be forgiven for thinking she can handle any situation. And then she meets Dark. The mysterious man saves Chance's life when she falls from a cliff during a carriage accident and the attraction between them is instant and all-consuming. Not knowing his name, she calls him "Dark" for his coloring and demeanor. By dawn, Chance knows she's finally met her match in the best possible way. But in this world, nothing is quite that easy, and there are a few minor problems in the way of that Happily Ever After ending she craves... Dark is no ordinary man. He's a Nasc, a race of magical twins who share a soul in two bodies, one human and one animal. Nor is he an ordinary Nasc (if there is such a thing)--he's their king. A slightly unbalanced king, in fact, because his twin (Vean) is currently missing, causing Dark (Tal) to suffer and slowly lose his grip on his emotions and reason the longer the separation continues. Even if he'd been whole, King TalVean wouldn't normally have been anywhere near the area where Chance's carriage went over the cliff, but he's on a mission to find the assassin who killed his brother and exact his revenge. Have I mentioned that Chance once assassinated a certain royal Nasc? This could be a textbook setup for the famous romance cliche of a "Big Misunderstanding," (the main conflict hidden until a big revelation at the end and instant forgiveness) but Marsters doesn't let her characters off that easily. Dark discovers who Chance is and what she's done at their next meeting and they have to deal with that conflict throughout the book. And that's not the only thing standing in their way. These two have quite the uphill battle for their happy ending and it's one you shouldn't miss. I won't give anything else away--the plot twists are best when experienced for yourself. And the sensual tension and love scenes between these two will knock your socks off! If you're